We are seeking an Quantum Compiler Engineer for our Broomfield, CO location.
Our compiler team builds the software that makes our quantum computers useful. We turn quantum programs into hardware-ready instructions that can run efficiently on our trapped-ion systems, and we solve the hard compiler problems required to scale performance as the technology advances.
As a Quantum Compiler Engineer, you will develop the languages, optimization passes, and hardware-aware compilation strategies that power next-generation quantum computing. You will work across the stack — from front-end tooling to real-time, high-performance backends — with a focus on performance, correctness, and scalability.
This role is ideal for someone who wants to tackle deep compiler challenges in a fast-moving R&D environment. You will help shape how quantum programs are optimized, routed, and executed, and your work will directly influence the capabilities of our quantum systems.
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Key Responsibilities:
- Contribute to the development of compiler front-end (quantum languages), back-end (machine-specific targeting), and optimization (quantum circuit optimization and classical optimization) passes operating on both classical and quantum operations
- Benchmark, profile, and optimize the execution of our compiler and the quality and performance of quantum programs it generates
- Collaborate on the design and implementation of a compiler targeting a real-time, distributed, execution environment
- Work with a diverse team including physicists and other engineering disciplines to solve complex problems
- Write high quality, maintainable code in an R&D and rapid prototyping environment
YOU MUST HAVE:
- Minimum 2+ years of industry or post-graduate experience in an engineering, lab, or R&D environment
- Minimum 3+ years of programming experience with Rust, C++, or similar language
- Coursework in compiler fundamentals and a strong understanding of compiler design
- Due to Contractual requirements, must be a U.S. Person defined as, U.S. citizen permanent resident or green card holder, workers granted asylum or refugee status
- Due to national security requirements imposed by the U.S. Government, candidates for this position must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless the candidate is also a U.S. citizen.
WE VALUE:
- Masters/PhD degree in Computer Science
- History of working with and developing for the LLVM toolchain
- Ability to solve complex problems and ability to communicate how you did it
- Track-record using python or other rapid prototyping and development tools to solve complex challenges
- Rust development experience with a track-record of contribution to open-source and commercial projects
- Demonstrated ability to work with a variety of algorithms, including tree, graph, SAT, and, at times Machine Learning and other algorithms
- Experience with development of application-specific algorithms, especially where exact/optimal solutions are computationally intractable
- Proficiency with software testing and deployment tools
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$136,000 - $173,000 a year
Compensation & Benefits:
The pay range for this role is $136,000– $173,000 annually. Actual compensation within this range may vary based on the candidate’s skills, educational background, professional experience, and unique qualifications for the role.
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Quantinuum is the world leader in quantum computing. The company’s quantum systems deliver the highest performance across all industry benchmarks. Quantinuum’s over 650 employees, including 400+ scientists and engineers, across the US, UK, Germany, and Japan, are driving the quantum computing revolution.
By uniting best-in-class software with high-fidelity hardware, our integrated full-stack approach is accelerating the path to practical quantum computing and scaling its impact across multiple industries.
By joining Quantinuum, you’ll be at the forefront of this transformative revolution, shaping the future of quantum computing, pushing the limits of technology, and making the impossible possible.
What’s in it for you?
A competitive salary and innovative, game-changing work
Flexible work schedule
Employer subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) match for student loan repayment benefit
Equity, 401k retirement savings plan + 12 Paid holidays and generous vacation + sick time
Paid parental leave
Employee discounts
Quantinuum is an equal opportunity employer. You will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, or veteran status. Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal
TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
The role of a Quantum Compiler Engineer is structurally essential for bridging the gap between high-level algorithmic abstractions and the specific physical constraints of emerging hardware modalities. Within the quantum value chain, this role functions as the critical translation layer that converts logical intent into hardware-optimized instructions, directly influencing the effective fidelity and computational throughput of the system. As the industry moves toward the fault-tolerant era, the capacity to implement sophisticated error mitigation and hardware-aware optimization becomes a primary determinant of system utility. This role addresses the acute scarcity of experts capable of navigating the intersection of classical compiler theory and quantum information science, a key bottleneck identified in global technology roadmaps. By refining the interface between software and hardware, the compiler engineer enables the transition from experimental prototypes to reliable, scalable quantum processing units.
Quantum compiler engineering occupies a pivotal position within the "middle-end" layer of the software stack, serving as the connective tissue between domain-specific front-ends and hardware back-ends. The sector is currently navigating a transitional phase where the focus has shifted from raw qubit counts to "qubit quality" and error-corrected logical operations. In this context, the compiler is no longer a passive translator but an active optimizer that must account for hardware-specific noise profiles, connectivity graphs, and native gate sets. Market signals from major hardware vendors indicate that the ability to suppress errors through software-level intervention is now a prerequisite for achieving quantum utility.
Macro-level constraints, such as the limited interoperability between proprietary hardware stacks and the lack of standardized intermediate representations, place a high premium on compiler expertise. While initiatives like the Munich Quantum Software Stack and various open-source toolchains aim to unify these interfaces, the underlying diversity of qubit technologies—from trapped ions to neutral atoms—necessitates highly specialized, machine-specific targeting. This divergence creates a strategic advantage for firms that can maintain a tight co-design loop between their compiler architecture and physical hardware.
Furthermore, the integration of quantum resources into classical high-performance computing (HPC) environments introduces new scheduling and orchestration challenges. As quantum systems are increasingly viewed as accelerators within hybrid workflows, the compiler must facilitate efficient data movement and low-latency interaction between classical and quantum cores. This shift toward hybridity requires a workforce capable of managing technical debt and maintaining high code standards within rapidly evolving R&D environments, ensuring that software assets remain durable across hardware generations.
The capability architecture for this role centers on the mastery of advanced compiler infrastructure and the implementation of hardware-aware optimization passes. At the foundational layer, deep proficiency in systems-level languages and established toolchains, such as LLVM, is required to build performance-critical back-ends. This technical base supports the development of specialized passes for gate decomposition, circuit routing, and resource estimation, which are essential for minimizing circuit depth and mitigating decoherence. These capabilities are critical for structural enablement, as they allow for the execution of complex algorithms on near-term hardware that would otherwise be limited by high error rates.
Beyond software engineering, the role requires a functional coupling with quantum physics to translate physical constraints into algorithmic optimizations. This involves implementing noise-aware mapping and error suppression techniques that improve the overall fidelity of the computation. By standardizing these optimizations, compiler engineers provide the leverage necessary for researchers to focus on algorithmic breakthroughs rather than hardware-level debugging. This cross-functional integration ensures that the software stack can scale alongside advancements in qubit connectivity and coherence times.
Optimizes the translation of high-level quantum algorithms into hardware-executable instructions to maximize system utility
Mitigates systemic noise and error rates through the development of hardware-aware circuit optimization passes
Facilitates the integration of quantum processing units into classical high-performance computing environments as specialized accelerators
Reduces the circuit depth of complex quantum programs to ensure execution within physical coherence limits
Strengthens the reliability of quantum computations by implementing software-level error mitigation and suppression strategies
Harmonizes abstract programming frameworks with diverse hardware modalities through unified intermediate representations
Optimizes the allocation of physical resources during the mapping of logical qubits to hardware-specific connectivity graphs
Supports the scaling of quantum architectures by solving complex routing and scheduling challenges in distributed environments
Shortens the iteration cycle for hardware co-design by providing rapid feedback on the impact of architectural changes
Improves the portability of quantum software assets across evolving generations of trapped-ion and superconducting systems
Protects the fidelity of quantum information through the precise timing and scheduling of gate operations
Enables the deterministic progression of technology readiness levels by stabilizing the software-to-hardware interface
Industry Tags: Quantum Software Stack, Compiler Optimization, Hardware-Aware Compilation, Trapped-Ion Systems, Quantum Error Mitigation, Systems Engineering, Hybrid Quantum-Classical HPC, LLVM Infrastructure, Circuit Synthesis
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