Principal Software Architect — Quantum Platform

Role overview

This principal-level role leads the software architecture for a quantum computing platform that drives physical hardware end to end. The platform covers calibration, orchestration, experiment execution, and device state, and must operate reliably in cloud, on-premise, and air-gapped customer environments. The position sits between research physicists and production engineering, carrying genuine authority over technical direction while remaining deeply hands-on.

Responsibilities

- Own end-to-end architecture across backend services, job orchestration, hardware abstraction, and device state management - Shape the interface between scientific workflows and platform layers so researchers can work without engineering support - Make and document build-versus-buy and framework decisions, and lead the migration of the platform onto the chosen stack - Write production code in the system's hardest components, where both correctness and performance are non-negotiable - Define and uphold engineering standards for testing, review, structured logging, and dependency governance, while reducing single points of failure - Work daily with research physicists to translate experiments into software, and support product planning with realistic technical input

Requirements

- Ten or more years building production software systems with serious depth in Python, C#/.NET, or C++ - Practical experience with distributed systems, job scheduling, and instrument or physical hardware integration - Proven record as the senior technical voice in a small team - History of shipping software into on-premise or restricted environments, not only cloud - Ability to reason about complex architectures and explain them clearly to non-engineers - Degree in computer science, physics, engineering, or equivalent practical experience; fluent English

Nice to have

- Genuine curiosity about scientific domains (a physics degree is welcome but not required) - Pragmatic approach that prefers shipping over polishing - Working knowledge of German

Benefits and work setup

- Remote-first within Europe with regular on-site presence in Bremen - Technical leadership across an engineering group, without an initial management track - Role profile emphasizing hands-on coding and architectural authority rather than committee work