Staff Engineer - Firmware

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is building quantum technology to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. Our team of engineers, scientists, software developers, and operations professionals works together to solve complex challenges and turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. We value collaboration, curiosity, and diverse perspectives, and we give every team member the opportunity to make an immediate impact while growing their skills. If you're excited to work on breakthrough technology in a fast-paced, hands-on environment, we'd love to hear from you.RequirementsWhat You'll Do:Provide technical leadership and architectural direction for real-time control systems across multiple projectsWrite production-quality code in C/C++ and establish coding standards and best practices for the teamWork with and mentor a cross-functional team of physicists, electronics engineers, and firmware engineers to create next-generation quantum instrumentsDesign and architect system controllers on ARM SoC. Lead development of user-space drivers, data acquisition pipelines, and robust control loops with reliable error handlingDefine and implement control algorithms essential to operation of precision sensing instrumentsArchitect libraries and frameworks for control of quantum systems that can be reused across projectsLead technical discussions with hardware engineers and drive board testing and hardware bring up strategiesMentor junior and senior engineers through code reviews, pair programming, and technical guidanceDrive continuous improvement of our development process, tooling, and infrastructureRepresent the team in cross-functional technical reviews, architecture discussions, and strategic planning sessionsWhat We're Looking For:Electrical Engineering/Computer Engineering/Computer Science Graduate, BS/MS Degree with 8-12 years of related work experience, or PhD with 8+ years of experienceTo comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (green card holders), and certain categories of refugees, and asyleesMust be comfortable working in a laboratory environmentProven ability to lead technical initiatives and influence engineering decisions across teamsExcellent communication skills with ability to articulate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, both written and verbalDemonstrated expertise in system architecture and design of complex embedded systemsRequired Expertise:Extensive experience in developing production Rust systems, including async runtimes, concurrency patterns, and performance optimizationDeep understanding of hardware-software interfaces including TCP, UART, MMAP, and low-level system programmingProven ability to architect and design complex software systems from the ground upStrong debugging and troubleshooting skills using various tools including debuggers, profilers, and simulationExperience mentoring and leading other engineers in technical growthNice-to-have expertise:Experience in Rust 🦀, on bare-metal or embedded LinuxExperience in Python, including common scientific libraries and building developer toolsExpert-level understanding of control algorithms such as PID, state-space controllers, and adaptive controlDesign training/expertise with fixed-point algorithms, DSP, and digital filtersExtensive experience interfacing with external devices through multiple protocols (TCP, UART, SPI, I2C, etc.)Experience in C/C++ and understanding of systems programming across multiple languagesStrong background working with SoC/FPGA devices and hardware-software co-designExperience with Linux kernel development and device driversComfortable using test and measurement equipment to confirm coding performance. This includes oscilloscopes, function generators and voltmetersExperience with CI/CD pipelines, automated testing frameworks, and development infrastructureBenefitsVector Atomic values teamwork, open and honest discourse, and work-life balance. We offer competitive compensation and benefits including:Platinum-level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)Employer 401(k) contributions20 days of paid time off / 11 paid holidaysPaid parental leaveFully stocked kitchenPay RangeThe approximate base salary range for this position is $150,000 to $180,000 per year. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity and benefits. It's atypical to be hired at the top end of this range for the role, as actual pay is based on several factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience level.Vector Atomic is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other classification protected by law.Vector Atomic does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third-party recruiting agencies in response to job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers or HR team.