Senior Embedded Software Development Engineer

Microsoft is the worlds center of expertise on topological quantum computing. We are building a scaled faulttolerant quantum computer grounded in topological qubits and integrated endtoend with the Azure Quantum software stack.

As a Senior Software Development Engineer in ourQuantum Systemsorganization you will develop core embedded software that powers Microsofts custom quantum readout instruments. This role focuses on building reliable highperformance userspace C systems that interface directly with Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and System on a chip (SoC)based hardware used to operate and measure topological qubits.

Our work sits at the intersection of hardware software and physics. You will collaborate closely with quantum experimentalists FPGA engineers and software partners to turn cuttingedge research systems into robust repeatable and observable instrument platforms.

At Microsoft Quantum our mission is to empower science and scientists to solve the worlds hardest problems by realizing advanced computing platforms at the intersection of highperformance computing artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum information technology.

Learn more at: you enjoy solving complex systems problems at the hardwaresoftware boundary and using modern tools (including AI) to go faster wed love to talk.

• Own embedded instrument software components: Design develop test and maintain critical userspace C services that control and operate quantum readout instruments with accountability for quality performance and reliability.
• Deliver highperformance data paths: Build and optimize nearrealtime data pipelines from FPGA/SoC hardware to client software including Direct Memory Access (DMA)based transfers buffering strategies and latencysensitive execution.
• Drive hardwaresoftware integration: Implement and debug interfaces to FPGA and SoC components using Memory-Mapped I/O (MMIO) interrupts and driver Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) working closely with hardware and FPGA engineers to resolve integration issues.
• Build networked multiclient services: Develop robust C services that support multiple concurrent clients versioned binary protocols and service discovery across lab and deployment environments.
• Engineer for reliability and diagnosability: Design structured logging telemetry health monitoring and crash diagnostics to support longrunning remotely operated instruments.
• Enable efficient testing and iteration: Develop simulation and mock modes for hardwaredependent code contribute to Continuous Integration (CI) and hardwareintheloop testing and validate changes across software and FPGA boundaries.
• Collaborate across disciplines: Partner with experimentalists control/readout engineers FPGA teams and client developers to deliver integrated solutions leveraging modern and AIassisted tools to accelerate development.
• Embody our Cultureand Values

Required Qualifications:

• Doctorate in Physics Engineering or related field AND 1 year(s) experience in industry or in a research and development environment could include completion of a post doctoral research position
  
  • OR Masters Degree in Physics Engineering or related field AND 4 years experience in industry or in a research and development environment
  • OR Bachelors Degree in Physics Engineering or related field AND 6 years experience in industry or in a research and development environment
  • OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to meet Microsoft customer and/or government security screening requirements is required for this role including:
  • Microsoft Cloud Background Check (upon hire and every two years thereafter)
  • Citizenship and Citizenship Verification: This role may require access to exportcontrolled information under applicable regulations (e.g. ITAR EAR). Eligibility will be assessed in accordance with legal requirements.
• Ability to leverage AI tools to drive innovation and efficiency (e.g. performance modeling and analysis research gathering day to day task automation).
• Familiarity with designing and building AI agents/copilots that assist with design development experiment setup log triage report generation specification generation and knowledge retrieval (e.g. instrument manuals design docs).

Additional or Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 years of C development experience (C17 or later) with proficient fundamentals in modern C design and memory management.
• Experience developing userspace software on Linux including interaction with device drivers and system services.
• Experience building multithreaded or concurrent systems and reasoning about synchronization performance and correctness.
• Experience interfacing software with hardware using memorymapped I/O DMA or similar mechanisms.
• Experience building or maintaining networked services using Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and binary protocols.
• Experience using CMake and standard debugging tools (e.g. gdb core dumps) in Linux environments.
• Experience with embedded Linux on ARM platforms (e.g. Xilinx Zynq UltraScale) Yocto or PetaLinux.
• Experience with scientific Radio Frequency (RF) or signalprocessingadjacent instrumentation (ADC/DAC data acquisition timing systems).
• Experience designing observable and reliable systems (telemetry health checks watchdogs postmortem analysis).
• Experience building simulation or mock layers to enable CI and development without hardware.
• Familiarity with Python for tooling automation or clientside integration.
• Exposure to quantum computing quantum control systems or advanced research instrumentation.

#Quantum #QuantumCareers #MDQCareers

Quantum Engineering IC4 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $119800 - $234700 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $160200 - $261000 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
position will be open for a minimum of 5 days with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age ancestry citizenship color family or medical care leave gender identity or expression genetic information immigration status marital status medical condition national origin physical or mental disability political affiliation protected veteran or military status race ethnicity religion sex (including pregnancy) sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process read more about requesting accommodations.

Required Experience:

IC