Senior Software Engineering Leader

At Rigetti, our mission is to build the world’s most powerful computers to solve the world’s most challenging problems. Rigetti is a pioneer in superconducting Qubits and full stack quantum computing systems. In addition to introducing the first multi-chip quantum processor, Rigetti has led the way in software systems for quantum computing, with a distributed operating environment for hybrid quantum-classical computing, and a state-of-the-art streaming characterization and measurement development and execution platform.
We are seeking a Senior Software Engineering Leader to head the team responsible for software systems that enable the creation, delivery and maintenance of Rigetti’s quantum computers. This includes systems for device design, chip fabrication workflows, physics-informed data analysis, quantum gate-design, and quantum mitigation and error correction technologies. This also includes managing the team and supporting  the development of software systems for quantum QPU and system characterization. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who thrives at the intersection of state-of-the-art software engineering, hardware, and scientific computing.
Role OverviewAs a Senior Software Engineering Leader, you will drive the creation of software platforms that enable the design, fabrication, characterization, and measurement of quantum systems, with a strong emphasis on integrating into the engineering process.
You will lead a team of professional software engineers, and collaborate closely with quantum hardware teams, quantum control systems designers, chip designers, fabrication engineers, and algorithm researchers. You’ll be responsible for engineering and system design that spans the entire gamut of our foundry operations through the delivery of an integrated quantum computing system, and delivery of characterization and measurement software to customers.
This is a unique opportunity to build software systems critical for the design and delivery of Rigetti’s computing systems, and, in some cases, delivered to customers to operate and maintain those quantum computers.

Key Responsibilities: Technical & Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the software roadmap for tools that support quantum chip design, fabrication data management, and process analysis, with physics-informed models at their core
• Develop software frameworks to integrate design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization data into a unified pipeline
• Lead the development and support the acquisition of tools for design verification, device modeling (including electromagnetic and noise modeling), and process optimization, informed by real-world physics constraints
• Support the development of Rigetti’s quantum characterization and measurement platform
• Lead the on-going design and development of the environment that knits these systems into a comprehensive integrated set of tools to develop and deliver quantum computers

Key Responsibilities: Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Build and lead a high-performing, cross-disciplinary software team (including software engineers, physicists, and data scientists)
• Support a strong platform engineering and operational mindset to enable high quality delivery at scale and speed
• Mentor and develop team members in software engineering best practices, modern software systems architecture, platform engineering, and scientific software for research and development driven environments
• Foster a culture of collaboration between software engineers, physicists, and design and fabrication teams, ensuring all teams contribute to and benefit from shared software tools

Key Responsibilities: Cross-functional Collaboration

• Partner with quantum device physicists to build or acquire software that accurately models qubit behavior and fabrication variations
• Work with foundry teams to ensure software systems capture process data and link it directly to design and performance outcomes
• Collaborate with quantum engineers, quantum performance teams to develop software frameworks that accelerate experimental data analysis, linking test results back to QPU performance, design and fabrication parameters

Key Responsibilities: Technical Execution

• Oversee the development, and architecture of data platforms and modeling tools that combine design files, fabrication process data, and device performance metrics
• Drive the development and support for tools for design rule checking (DRC), layout-vs-schematic (LVS) checks, and process-aware design verification for quantum devices.

Qualifications

• BS or equivalent degree in Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or a related field
• 10+ years of soft