---
title: 'Senior Scientist, Quantum Sensing (Magnetometry) at Q-CTRL'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-scientist-quantum-sensing-magnetometry-q-ctrl-sydney-8a7j4g15sca5'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-31'
---

# Senior Scientist, Quantum Sensing (Magnetometry) at Q-CTRL

- **Company:** Q-CTRL
- **Location:** Sydney, Australia
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-20
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-31
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/q-ctrl/d6729274-cba8-4000-af87-79501e6ab194

## 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.

What you'll be doing:

- Collaborating across teams with experimental and modelling physicists, electronics engineers, and software engineers, to develop state-of-the-art quantum magnetometers and auxiliary hardware for aerospace, defence, geophysical exploration, and medical applications.
- Carrying out design, development, testing, and characterisation work in both the laboratory and the field, to improve sensor performance, autonomy, and reliability in harsh environments.
- Developing and testing early-stage prototypes on optical tables, translating experimental results into requirements for engineering prototypes.
- Working continuously with engineering teams to inform design, support subcomponent testing, and lead scientific commissioning through to field trials.
- Identifying adverse effects that limit sensor performance and developing mitigation strategies compatible with both miniaturisation and field deployment.
- Working with technical leadership to organise and execute hardware and capability development programmes, including field trials of our sensors and auxiliary hardware.
- Liaising with academic and industry partners to support sensor development, new business opportunities, and product development.
- Sharing insights and results with the Research division, colleagues, external stakeholders, and customers through presentations, academic publications, technical reports, and blog posts.
- Other duties within the Employee's skills and experience, or with reasonable training.

Ideally you'll have:

- A PhD, or equivalent industry experience, in atomic, molecular, and optical physics or a closely related discipline.
- Hands-on experience with quantum sensor hardware, such as lasers, optics, electro-optical systems.
- Experience in atomic sensor design, construction, operation, and characterisation.
- A practical, experimental approach to identifying performance limitations and improving sensor reliability in challenging environments.
- Proficiency in Python for numerical simulations, data logging, and analysis; familiarity with GitHub and tools like Poetry; and an appreciation for sound software design and architecture.
- The ability to communicate technical results clearly to a wide and varied audience.

It would be fantastic if you have these skills/experience but not essential:

- Experience with quantum magnetometers using alkali vapours, such as free induction decay (FID), nonlinear magneto-optical rotation (NMOR), or spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) magnetometers.
- Experience deploying quantum sensors in fielded settings.
- Experience working in an interdisciplinary context with R&D scientists and engineers.

## 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

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- [Senior Systems Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-systems-technician-q-ctrl-sydney-ys9g35p9fh4x) — Sydney, Australia
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- [Product Manager - Quantum Sensing](https://feeny.ai/job/product-manager-quantum-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
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