Zurich Instruments is a technology leader in advanced control electronics for quantum computing. Our products are used by scientists and leading high-tech companies worldwide. We help advance science and build the next generation of quantum computers.
Do you want to join our team developing control software for scaling quantum computers? Are you eager to lead a team of software developers, to improve user experience, automation, and AI-assisted workflows for quantum computing?
We are looking for a leader for our Quantum Software Applications team.
You'll be based in Munich to closely interact with customers and collaboration partners. Through regular travel to Zurich you are connected with the wider engineering team
Zurich Instruments is part of the Rohde & Schwarz Group.
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Your responsibilities
- Lead a quantum software team focusing on user-facing functionality and collaboration with industrial and academic partners.
- Drive all aspects of people development in close collaboration with our HR team.
- Enhance LabOne Q to elevate the user experience for our customers operating Quantum Processing Units (QPUs).
- Own the design of LabOne Q's user-facing APIs and abstractions, ensuring a consistent design language across all abstraction levels.
- Own delivery of features for LabOne Q encompassing concept, implementation, testing, and documentation.
- Collaborate with peers in R&D and product management on architecture, interfaces, and feature definition.
Your profile
Must-have
- PhD, MSc or equivalent experience in Quantum Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or Electrical Engineering.
- At least 3 years of experience in team leadership.
- Experience with quantum computing frameworks or, alternatively with automation and workflow engines in a technical application.
- Professional track record in writing and maintaining production-grade code in Python as well as API design.
- Based in Munich, with willingness to travel to Zurich once a month.
Nice-to-have
- Hands-on background in experimental quantum computing - e.g. running experiments, managing measurement data, or automating calibration and characterization workflows.
- Experience with Rust.
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We offer a diverse work environment with an open and transparent company culture where personal development forms the basis of our success. We thrive on cooperation and support distributed decision-making that allows everyone to take responsibility and generate substantial impact from the start and on many levels.
Now is a great time to join the team.
We look forward to receiving your resume and motivation letter.
TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
The rise of specialized leadership roles in quantum software applications marks a major pivot in the deep-tech sector as hardware matures past standalone physics experiments. Engineering teams require structured technical translation layers to convert low-level control electronics capability into scalable, reliable application environments for end users. This role type operates as a critical bridge within the software ecosystem, abstracting quantum hardware complexities into accessible APIs for industrial and academic researchers. By ensuring code stability and framework interoperability, this function addresses the broader market friction between theoretical quantum advantage and production-ready enterprise execution. Current industry focus lies on bridging classical and quantum capabilities at scale, making programmatic orchestration essential for commercial traction.
The quantum software ecosystem is shifting from exploratory algorithmic development to the deployment of stable, multi-tenant software application layers. While early investments focused on increasing physical qubit metrics, the primary industry bottleneck has transitioned to runtime orchestration, automation, and the verification of hybrid classical-quantum workflows. Consequently, organizations require engineering leadership capable of stabilizing user-facing software frameworks to ensure reproducibility across fragmented hardware modalities. This layer of the value chain is vital for accelerating Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) from scientific discovery to predictable industrial deployment.
A primary macro constraint within this domain is the deep integration challenge between advanced control electronics and higher-level software development kits. Because quantum compilers and runtime environments must communicate dynamically with classical processors, application architecture requires strict performance optimization to prevent high-latency overheads. At the same time, the industry faces severe workforce competition for individuals who possess both software engineering discipline and specialized domain knowledge in quantum information science.
Ongoing ecosystem initiatives aim to accelerate readiness for practical quantum applications by establishing standardized benchmark protocols. As public and private funding cycles demand clearer pathways to economic utility, the maturation of user-facing abstraction layers serves as the principal mechanism for retaining multi-sector stakeholder commitment. This structural transition reduces the operational dependencies on specialized experimental physicists, allowing enterprise developers to engage directly with quantum infrastructure.
The capability architecture for this role type centers on the synchronization of high-performance classical software standards with quantum computing frameworks. Mastery of API design paradigms is essential for creating clean abstraction levels that insulate application developers from hardware-specific timing constraints and error mitigation routines. This requires a sophisticated synthesis of production-grade programming languages, such as Python and systems-level tooling, with low-level compilation pipelines that govern hardware execution.
These capabilities are fundamental to increasing engineering throughput, as they enable parallel feature release cycles while maintaining code base integrity. By establishing structured testing methodologies and automation engines, this function reduces the technical debt that typically accumulates in rapidly evolving scientific software. Furthermore, establishing clear architecture patterns ensures interoperability with emerging cloud infrastructures and high-performance computing centers, maximizing the reach of the application layer. - Accelerates the transition of quantum application software from scientific proof-of-concepts to high-availability deployment models
- Minimizes implementation risk by establishing rigorous software engineering practices within complex hybrid classical-quantum systems
- Facilitates the integration of advanced control electronics with high-level developer workflows across diverse user groups
- Mitigates architectural fragmentation by championing uniform API standards across multiple abstraction layers of the technology stack
- Optimizes code base execution through the programmatic management of low-level compilation and characterization routines
- Supports ecosystem scale by translating complex physical hardware capabilities into predictable and intuitive software interfaces
- Strengthens organizational engineering capability through structured personnel development aligned with multi-year technology roadmaps
- Shorter development lifecycles for user-facing features via the implementation of robust automation and testing frameworks
- Lowers adoption barriers for enterprise end-users by stabilizing the software middleware layer against hardware variations
- Ensures continuous operational alignment between cross-functional teams spanning fundamental research, product management, and systems engineering
- Enhances long-term platform viability through the deliberate incorporation of robust, production-grade systems architectures
- Stabilizes product delivery metrics within deep-tech environments subject to fluid macroeconomic and academic research cyclesIndustry Tags: Quantum Software Engineering, Control Systems Abstraction, Hybrid Quantum-Classical Workflows, API Design, Software Architecture, Automation Engines, Tech Stack Interoperability, Deep Tech Leadership, Quantum Ecosystem Enablement
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