About the job
IonQ is at the forefront of revolutionizing computing technology with its groundbreaking full-stack quantum computer, powered by trapped-ion technology. We are transcending the boundaries of classical physics and contemporary supercomputing to usher in a new epoch of computing. The potential of quantum computing extends to enhancing various sectors of society, including healthcare, materials science, finance, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptography, and beyond. Join us in redefining industries through our innovative quantum computing solutions.
We are seeking a Senior Staff Software Engineer in Application Engineering to join our dynamic Applications Engineer team. This cross-functional team is dedicated to translating the advancements in quantum technology into practical applications that deliver real-world value.
Our mission goes beyond merely constructing the world's most advanced quantum computers; we are committed to leveraging state-of-the-art quantum computing tools to address tangible challenges. Our Applications Scientists have been collaborating with customers to develop prototypes, and our newly established Applications Engineering department will be instrumental in transforming these validated use cases into production applications, making these revolutionary tools accessible to a broader audience through SaaS delivery.
Your role will be pivotal in transitioning existing proof-of-concept quantum codes into robust, production-ready applications. As a hands-on team lead, you will enhance the developer experience (DevEx) by implementing best practices for research-grade code. Responsibilities will include establishing CI/CD pipelines, software packaging tools, and both pre- and post-deployment tests for new algorithms. In addition, you will be tasked with optimizing and parallelizing traditional algorithms to streamline processing workloads. This role is akin to being a forward-deployed engineer for quantum computing applications, and ideal candidates will possess a diverse range of interests and expertise.
This team will collaborate closely with Developer Tools, Infrastructure, and Product teams to devise effective solutions by selecting appropriate technologies and standardizing automated processes. The ideal engineer will possess comfort in refining quantum computing tools, such as chemistry simplification, one quarter and implementing novel quantum topology solvers as services the next—while enjoying collaborative programming with scientists. You will bring your classical computing expertise to complement our quantum knowledge.

