Embedded Software Engineer - Quantum Networks

Job description

The Netherlands is one of the leading countries in quantum technology with QuTech at its heart. Join our team as an Embedded Software Engineer at our research centre and help us shape the quantum future.

Job description

As an Embedded Software Engineer at QuTech, you will be part of the Open Access Team within the Quantum Internet Division. The team works closely with research groups, engineers, and support staff, as well as with research and engineering teams across Europe through the Quantum Internet Alliance (QIA), a partnership of more than 50 organisations working together to build a quantum internet in Europe.
The Open Access Team is working to develop shared Open access infrastructure for quantum internet research and development. The goal is to provide tools and facilities that help researchers, technology developers, and end users accelerate progress across Europe. One example is QI-Lab, a quantum hardware emulation platform recently developed at QuTech that enables hardware-in-the-loop quantum network experiments using a desktop. Our goal is to release QI-Lab as an open-source experimentation platform that can be used by the wider quantum internet community.
In this role you will work closely with researchers and engineers to develop, maintain and improve the platform and make it usable for a wider community. On a daily basis your responsibilities will be:
Develop new features for our quantum hardware emulation platforms and maintain and improve the existing codebase.
Work on the embedded parts of the stack, including RTOS programming and integration on platforms with real-time constraints, adapting the design as new research challenges arise.
Integrate and control lab instruments and FPGA-based hardware from software, and debug issues at the hardware/software boundary.
Prepare QI-Lab for open-source release: packaging, versioning, automated testing and handling contributions from outside QuTech.
Write documentation, examples and onboarding material, and support researchers at QuTech and QIA partners using the platform.
Work with experimentalists and fellow engineers to design and run experiments that demonstrate hardware/software integration and the functionality of the stack.
Collaborate with engineering and research teams at QIA partner organizations across Europe, including occasional on-site visits.
Job Requirements
We are looking for a motivated junior to mid-level Embedded Software Engineer, ideally with around two years of relevant experience and a master's degree in Embedded Systems, Computer Science, or a related field. We would be particularly interested in candidates who have:
Experience developing software in C/C++ and Python.
Familiarity with low-level software (e.g. peripheral firmware, serial communication) and with development on Linux.
Ability to explain technical choices clearly to physicists, engineers and external users, in English.
Enjoyment of working in multidisciplinary teams across organizations.
If you are eager to further develop these skills, we would be happy to support your growth.
Nice to have:
Experience with RTOSs, SoCs, or FPGA development (VHDL/Verilog) or FPGA-based instruments.
Experience controlling lab or test equipment from software (e.g. SCPI/VISA, vendor SDKs, custom protocols).
Comfort with oscilloscopes, logic analysers and similar debugging tools.
Experience with open-source projects, technical documentation, or CI pipelines.
Familiarity with Agile ways of working.
Interest in physics experiments; exposure to quantum technology or optics is a plus but not required.
We look forward to receiving applications from all qualified candidates and are committed to creating an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity. We believe in the power of an inclusive organizational culture and think it is important that everyone can be themselves. Whether it concerns age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, cultural background: everyone is welcome!
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)