About Us
QuantWare is building the world’s most powerful quantum processors to solve humanity's greatest challenges. We do this with our unique VIO™ technology, the only QPU architecture that breaks the hardware barriers that have held quantum computing back, unlocking the path to MegaQubit quantum processors.
With VIO, we are paving the way for the hyper-scale quantum computers that will change the world. And delivering on that vision demands people who don’t shy away from tackling the hardest challenges of our time. That’s where you come in!
Our Quantum Processor Team is seeking a Quantum Design Engineer to support the development of the next generation of processors. This role is focused on quantum chip design and the development of the design workflows that enable scalable processor development.
You will contribute to the design and optimisation of on-chip quantum components while also helping to build and maintain the underlying design infrastructure, including PDKs, DRC flows and tapeout generation tools. Working closely with experienced designers and fabrication teams, you will play an important role in supporting the development of our large-scale QPUs.
What you’ll be doing
- Contribute to the development of quantum chip design tools including PDKs, DRCs, tuners and tape-out generation tools.
- Own quantum chip design projects for R&D and product development, contributing to the design and optimisation of new quantum processors.
- Manage the full development loop for the chips you design, coordinating with fabrication and measurement teams to ensure successful transfer and execution.
- Support Foundry customers in designing chips that conform to QuantWare's PDK, providing guidance throughout the design process to meet technical and operational standards.
- Drive process improvement initiatives, identifying bottlenecks and recommending enhancements to tools, workflows, and design-to-tapeout processes for improved efficiency.
Your Profile
Core Requirements:
- M.Sc. or higher level understanding of circuit design and microwave / RF engineering.
- Hands-on experience with RF simulation tools (e.g., ANSYS HFSS, Sonnet, or equivalent), with a demonstrated ability to model and optimize microwave structures.
- 4+ years of experience in collaborative Python programming.
- A solid track record of delivering complex technical projects, demonstrating initiative, autonomy, and an eye for practical impact.
- Strong organizational and problem-solving skills. You thrive in a cross-disciplinary environment and are comfortable taking ownership from day one.
Bonus Points
- Direct experience working with superconducting and quantum circuits.
- Familiarity with quantum design and layout tools (such as Qiskit Metal, KLayout, or GDSFactory), as well as CI/CD pipelines.
- Knowledge of nanofabrication processes and cryogenic measurement techniques.
What We Offer
At QuantWare, you’ll be part of a high-performing team of world-class experts in an ambitious, fast-moving environment. From day one, you’ll have the trust, tools, and support to do your best work. Here’s what you can expect:
Competitive salary - A competitive monthly salary, plus an 8% annual holiday bonus paid out each May
Pension that’s built to last - A future-proof pension plan that includes partner and dependent coverage. QuantWare covers 63% of the premium
Flexibility built on trust - We focus on outcomes. Work flexibly, in a hybrid setup, with an open vacation policy that lets you manage your time
Relocation support - If you’re moving to the Netherlands, we’ll make the transition seamless. We cover visa support, temporary housing in most cases, and help securing the 30% tax benefit for eligible candidates.
Personal growth - We invest in your L&D, with a budget available to each team member, dependent on their individual ambitions, development needs, and performance
A focus on well-being - We support your physical and mental energy through wellness initiatives that help you recharge and stay sharp
A connected team - We make space to celebrate wins together, with team events, offsites, and spontaneous moments that bring us closer
Diversity & Inclusion at QuantWare
We’re an ambitious company, not only for our goals but also to become an even more diverse and inclusive team. We know this helps us with better decisions, more innovation, and strengthens our culture. In particular, we’d love to see more women in the quantum industry!
So if you’re a female talent, excited about this opportunity but don’t meet every single requirement, we still encourage you to apply.
As part of our recruitment process, candidates may be required to undergo pre-employment screening.
TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
The transition from laboratory-scale experiments to industrial-grade quantum advantage necessitates a critical shift in hardware engineering, moving beyond basic qubit control toward the systematic architecture of large-scale processors. This role type addresses a fundamental bottleneck in the quantum value chain: the need for standardized, scalable design workflows that can translate complex microwave engineering and quantum physics into reproducible silicon-level blueprints. As the ecosystem matures toward the NISQ-era and beyond, the structural throughput of hardware development is increasingly governed by the maturity of design automation and foundry-ready workflows. By bridging the gap between theoretical qubit topologies and empirical fabrication constraints, this function ensures that the roadmap toward mega-qubit systems remains physically viable and economically scalable. Market signals from global quantum initiatives indicate that the professionalization of the chip-design-to-tapeout pipeline is now a primary determinant of commercial readiness for QPU providers.
The global quantum computing industry is currently navigating a pivotal architectural maturation, where the focus has expanded from the discovery of individual qubit modalities to the systemic challenge of processor-level integration and scalability. Within this ecosystem, the hardware design layer serves as the central orchestration point for multi-disciplinary breakthroughs in superconducting circuits, microwave engineering, and cryogenic packaging. While public and private funding cycles have successfully seeded a diverse hardware landscape, the sector now faces significant macro constraints, particularly a shortage of experts capable of bridging classical RF engineering with quantum-specific design requirements. This talent gap is compounded by the lack of standardized Process Design Kits (PDKs) and Design Rule Checks (DRCs) that are commonplace in the classical semiconductor industry but remain nascent in the quantum domain.
Addressing these bottlenecks requires a transition from artisanal chip layout toward high-fidelity, automated design environments that can handle the exponential complexity of inter-qubit connectivity and crosstalk mitigation. Current industry focus lies on bridging classical and quantum capabilities at scale, specifically through the development of robust design-to-tapeout pipelines that reduce the high costs and long iteration cycles of fabrication. Furthermore, as the value chain fragmentizes into specialized foundry services and pure-play hardware vendors, the ability to maintain technical and operational standards through formalized design infrastructure becomes essential for ecosystem interoperability. This evolution is critical for supporting the emergence of hybrid classical-quantum cloud platforms, where hardware reliability and performance consistency are paramount for enterprise adoption.
The capability architecture for this role type centers on the sophisticated integration of microwave physics with digital design automation threads. At the foundational layer, mastery of electromagnetic simulation and RF modeling is essential for ensuring the integrity of signal delivery and the minimization of decoherence within complex quantum architectures. These technical proficiencies must interface directly with software-defined design layers, including the development of automated layout tools and standard cell libraries tailored for cryogenic environments. Such capabilities are critical for structural enablement, as they allow for the rapid prototyping and validation of new processor topologies while maintaining strict adherence to foundry fabrication tolerances. By establishing a rigorous infrastructure for DRC and tapeout generation, these experts reduce systemic risks associated with fabrication failure and ensure that design intent is accurately translated into physical hardware. This cross-functional coupling between microwave engineering and software toolchains is vital for the deterministic scaling of quantum processors. - Accelerates the transition from experimental qubit arrays to standardized, industrial-grade quantum processors
- Mitigates fabrication risks by establishing rigorous design rule checks and standardized tapeout protocols
- Reduces iteration friction between hardware architects and fabrication teams through automated design workflows
- Facilitates the emergence of a specialized quantum foundry ecosystem by standardizing process design kits
- Strengthens the reliability of superconducting circuit performance through high-fidelity electromagnetic modeling
- Optimizes the scaling of inter-qubit connectivity by identifying and resolving microwave crosstalk bottlenecks
- Supports the development of mega-qubit architectures by automating complex chip layout and routing tasks
- Improves the reproducibility of quantum hardware performance across successive fabrication cycles
- Shortens the time-to-market for next-generation processors by streamlining the full design-to-measurement loop
- Protects capital-intensive fabrication investments by providing expert validation of processor-level designs
- Enables the integration of quantum hardware into standardized high-performance computing infrastructures
- Synchronizes theoretical architectural breakthroughs with empirical constraints of nanofabrication and cryogenicsIndustry Tags: Quantum Processor Design, Superconducting Qubits, Microwave Engineering, PDK Development, RF Simulation, Quantum Hardware Scalability, Electronic Design Automation, Nanofabrication, Cryogenic Electronics
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