Software Engineer (SDK), Developer Tools

Staff Software Engineer (SDK), Developer ToolsLocation: Bothell, Washington, USAResponsibilities:Define the technical strategy and roadmap for IonQ's public-facing quantum SDKs, including native SDKs and integrations with Qiskit, Cirq, and PennyLane.Ensure SDKs are maintainable, performant, intuitive, and designed for broad developer adoption.Lead the productization and open-sourcing of internal quantum developer tools.Establish release processes, licensing, packaging, and community contribution workflows;Serve as the primary architect for the programming paradigms and abstractions exposed through IonQ's SDKs.Design and implement robust, well-documented SDK interfaces for quantum circuit construction, compilation, simulation, and hardware execution.Manage public repositories, review community contributions, establish contribution guidelines, and build a healthy open-source contributor ecosystem.Collaborate with Applications Research and Compiler teams to prototype and introduce advanced quantum capabilities, including error mitigation and optimization techniques, as SDK features.Oversee documentation, examples, tutorials, and quickstart guides to provide a strong developer experience.Establish best practices for API design, software architecture, testing, and open-source maintenance.Mentor engineers and help improve the technical capabilities of the engineering team;Support the Applications Engineering team by translating customer and partner requirements into SDK features and improvements.Drive improvements in automated testing, CI/CD, and validation standards across the SDK ecosystem.Work across Applications, Compiler, and Engineering teams to align SDK development with IonQ's quantum hardware and research capabilities.Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Physics, or a related field, or equivalent training, fellowship, or professional experience.10+ years of professional software engineering experience, including significant experience in technical leadership or architecture.7+ years of experience designing, developing, and maintaining public-facing SDKs or developer libraries.Strong focus on API design and developer experience.Deep expertise in Python and large-scale developer-facing software systems.Experience managing or contributing to open-source projects with external contributors;Experience with release management, community engagement, and contribution governance.Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional engineering projects from concept through production.Demonstrated experience mentoring engineers and improving the technical capabilities of engineering teams.Familiarity with Agentic AI coding tools and techniques and their use in modern software development workflows.Excellent written and verbal communication skills.Experience creating technical documentation, specifications, and developer guides.Preferred:Master's or PhD in Physics, Computer Science, or a related field, particularly with a focus on quantum computing or programming language design.Expert-level understanding of quantum computing principles, quantum circuits, optimization techniques, and compiler fundamentals.Deep expertise in C++ or Rust for high-performance computing or hardware interaction.Significant open-source contributions to the quantum computing ecosystem, including Qiskit, PennyLane, or Cirq;Experience with quantum error mitigation, quantum error correction, quantum compilers, or circuit optimization.Direct experience with programming language or API design for scientific or technical users.Demonstrated ability to influence technical direction across organizational boundaries and gain support for strategic initiatives.Benefits and Compensation:Approximate base salary: $174,520 to $228,492 per year.Total compensation includes base salary, bonus, and equity.Compensation varies based on education, qualifications, experience, office location, market data, and internal equity.Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.401(k) matching;Unlimited paid time off and paid holidays.Parental and adoption leave.Legal insurance.Home technology stipend.Other Information:Work arrangement: On-site or hybrid in Bothell, Washington.Travel: Approximately once per quarter.Job ID: 1105.IonQ is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse, inclusive, and respectful workplace.The position involves access to technology subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions;For certain technical work, employment may require verification of U.S. Person status, an applicable license, or confirmation of a license exception.Candidates will be asked additional immigration-status questions for export-control and compliance purposes.