---
title: 'Senior Embedded Software Engineer at Q-CTRL'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-embedded-software-engineer-q-ctrl-sydney-38qa5cv26wea'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-17'
---

# Senior Embedded Software Engineer at Q-CTRL

- **Company:** Q-CTRL
- **Location:** Sydney, Australia
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-29
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-17
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/q-ctrl/a3911edb-d50d-4151-af5c-791495e897d3

## Job description

## About the team

Q-CTRL’s Quantum Sensing Research team performs basic and applied research in quantum sensing and quantum-enabled navigation. It is a highly dynamic team comprising approximately 30 specialists in theoretical and experimental atomic physics, cold-atom interferometry, navigation modeling, and modern Bayesian estimation and signal processing techniques.

The Quantum Sensing Research and Quantum Sensing R&D teams work closely together, translating novel quantum sensing research into a useful capability and product. We are focussed on pushing the boundary of what is possible in quantum sensing and ensuring our R&D has real-world impact.

## About the role

Join Q-CTRL to help turn cutting-edge quantum sensing technology into robust devices that can operate in the real world. As a Senior FPGA and Embedded Software Engineer, you will develop the real-time digital and firmware stack behind our quantum accelerometers, working where advanced hardware, control systems and fundamental science meet.

You will partner closely with research scientists and engineers to understand how the whole sensor works, then make it more capable and reliable. This is a role for a curious, versatile engineer who enjoys getting close to the hardware and learning new domains quickly.

You do not need to arrive with experience in every technology listed below: we value strong fundamentals, thoughtful problem-solving and the drive to learn.

What you'll be doing:

- Develop, integrate, optimise and support FPGA firmware for Q-CTRL quantum sensors.Implement and maintain timing-critical digital processing blocks, including filters, decimation and related DSP pipelines.
- Build robust startup, calibration, operation and monitoring routines for autonomous sensor operation.
- Work with research scientists to translate control concepts into reliable, real-time behaviour close to the hardware.
- Integrate FPGA logic with SoC software, enabling reliable, time-synchronised high-bandwidth data capture, DMA transfer and storage.
- Establish and improve simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing to support continuous integration and confident field deployment.
- Investigate system-level issues across FPGA logic, firmware, electronics, embedded Linux and higher-level software.
- Contribute to architecture decisions that improve reliability and performance in future sensor revisions.
- Document test, validation and operational procedures as part of delivering the quantum sensor package.

Ideally you'll have:

- Strong foundations in digital design and embedded systems.
- Familiarity with SystemVerilog for implementing and maintaining FPGA logic.
- Experience with Xilinx SoCs and Vivado-based development workflows.
- Digital signal processing experience, including practical implementation of filters, decimation or related signal-conditioning pipelines.
- Experience with simulation and verification workflows such as cocotb.
- A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively with engineers and research scientists in an evolving technical environment.

It would be great if you have (but not essential):

- CI/CD development processes for testing, validation and deployment.
- Systems programming languages (for example C, C++ or Rust) to interface with FPGA data paths, including DMA-based transfer.
- Timing-critical control systems and high-bandwidth data capture or storage.
- Low-latency and low-level communications such as TCP/IP, SPI, I2C or CAN bus.
- Exposure to embedded Linux, customised operating systems or Yocto.

## About Q-CTRL

Q-CTRL is the global leader in AI-powered quantum control infrastructure software. We build the tools that make quantum technology useful, solving the hardest challenges in quantum computing and quantum sensing to deliver real-world impact.

Founded in 2017, we operate globally with offices in Sydney, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Huntsville, Berlin, and Oxford. Our teams bring together technical and multi-disciplinary expertise across the product lifecycle, and we’re hiring talent to help scale every part of the business. We work quickly to turn cutting-edge science into deployable technology.

In 2024 we raised US$113 million in Series B funding, the largest aggregate investment for a quantum software company. Six months later we delivered the first commercial quantum advantage with Ironstone Opal, our field-validated quantum navigation solution for defense and industry.

At Q-CTRL, we prioritize outcomes over hours. We offer flexibility, equity potential, and competitive benefits that reflect our high-performance culture. If you’re ready to help shape the future of quantum, we’d love to hear from you!

Please be advised that our communications will only come from the @q-ctrl.com domain. All our active job postings are available on our company website.

To recruitment agencies, we do not accept unsolicited branded profiles and are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

## About Q-CTRL

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Q-CTRL builds AI-powered infrastructure software to make quantum technology useful today, delivering performance gains in quantum computing and quantum sensing for enterprise, government, and defense.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Privately held; $133M total funding across 12 rounds, including seed and venture rounds)
- **Headquarters**: Sydney, Australia
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: Not publicly available

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Quantum technology infrastructure software, AI-for-quantum, quantum computing and quantum sensing
- **Target customers**: Enterprise and government organizations, data center and HPC providers, defense and aerospace, learners and researchers (B2B, B2G)
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “We make quantum technology useful” – bridging the gap between quantum hardware and real-world applications through AI-driven control software.

## Products & Services
- **Boulder Opal**: AI-powered quantum computing infrastructure software that provides error suppression, automated calibration, performance management, and compilation tools to maximize qubit utility.
- **Ironstone Opal**: Quantum sensing solutions for GPS-denied navigation, delivering the first true quantum advantage in real-world navigation scenarios.
- **Educational & Workforce Tools**: Interactive learning platforms and professional toolkits for students, researchers, and hardware teams to upskill and accelerate quantum adoption.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of $5M (LinkedIn estimate); total funding of $133M (as of latest rounds)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Horizons Ventures, Main Sequence Ventures, DCVC, HSG, IQT (led various rounds)
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount of 176 employees (+36.7% YoY); LinkedIn followers 30,064 (+40.3% yearly); global expansion to six offices (Sydney, Santa Monica, Huntsville, Oxford, San Francisco, Berlin); multiple open positions across engineering, research, product, and sales.

## Competitive Advantages
- Unique AI-for-quantum approach that directly addresses hardware error and instability – the toughest problems in quantum technology.
- Proven world records in quantum computer performance and first demonstration of quantum advantage in GPS-free navigation.
- Deep expertise in quantum control, compilation, and error correction, combined with proprietary infrastructure software that no competitor replicates.
- Strong government and defense relationships, with solutions tailored for the most demanding environments.

## Strategic Focus
- Scale adoption of quantum computing and sensing across enterprise and government by making the technology useful today.
- Continue to invest in AI-driven automation and compilation to lower barriers for non-experts.
- Expand into data center and HPC integration, providing pre-validated architectures for seamless quantum utility.
- Grow workforce and global footprint to meet increasing demand from defense, aerospace, and research sectors.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture highlights**: Multidisciplinary teams united by curiosity and ambition; collaborative environment focused on real-world impact; strong emphasis on personal development and career growth.
- **Remote/hybrid/office policy**: Hybrid model (e.g., roles in Los Angeles, San Francisco listed as hybrid); flexible workplace policies; offices in six cities across three continents.
- **Notable perks**: Highly competitive, innovative, and inclusive benefits; comprehensive personal development programs; streamlined interview process with technical discussions and cross-functional collaboration.
- **Engineering culture**: Work on cutting-edge quantum control, AI, and infrastructure software; teams span engineering, research, product, and design.
- **Employer rating**: 4.6/5.0 on LinkedIn (15 reviews), with 4.9 for work-life balance and culture, 4.6 for compensation, 4.7 for career opportunities.

## Sources
1. [q-ctrl.com](https://q-ctrl.com/) – Company overview and product descriptions
2. [q-ctrl.com/careers](https://q-ctrl.com/careers) – Careers page, culture, interview process, locations
3. [q-ctrl.com/about](https://q-ctrl.com/about) – About page, AI-for-quantum focus
4. [jobs.lever.co](https://jobs.lever.co/q-ctrl) – Open positions (Senior Software Engineer, Scientist, etc.)
5. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/q-ctrl) – Company details, revenue, funding, headcount, reviews

## Other roles at Q-CTRL

- [Product Manager - Sensing](https://feeny.ai/job/product-manager-sensing-q-ctrl-sydney-pd7stsf5k98n) — Sydney, Australia
- [Director of US Government Engagement](https://feeny.ai/job/director-of-us-government-engagement-q-ctrl-washington-raqqdx0q8fx9) — Washington, DC
- [Staff Research Scientist — Quantum Algorithms & Fault-Tolerant Applications](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-research-scientist-quantum-algorithms-fault-tolerant-applications-q-ctrl-6nb5s7jyk4g9) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Senior Scientist, Quantum Sensing (Modeling and Control)](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-scientist-quantum-sensing-modeling-and-control-q-ctrl-sydney-qhh5h4xt93fq) — Sydney, Australia
- [Senior Cloud Platform Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-cloud-platform-engineer-q-ctrl-los-angeles-94rsh6dmsjb3) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Business Development Executive, Quantum Sensing](https://feeny.ai/job/business-development-executive-quantum-sensing-q-ctrl-los-angeles-nshhtvvdw724) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Senior Research Scientist, Quantum Error Correction](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-research-scientist-quantum-error-correction-q-ctrl-los-angeles-d4mwrrfyh1t9) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Financial Accountant](https://feeny.ai/job/financial-accountant-q-ctrl-sydney-m0az4dd2aaqe) — Sydney, Australia
- [Global Tax Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/global-tax-manager-q-ctrl-sydney-7tyzq9w54epz) — Sydney, Australia
- [Staff Experimental Scientist](https://feeny.ai/job/staff-experimental-scientist-q-ctrl-sydney-72vn4wkm7ycv) — Sydney, Australia