The Amazon Web Services (AWS) Center for Quantum Computing (CQC) is a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and technicians, on a mission to develop a fault-tolerant quantum computer. We are looking to hire an Applied Scientist to work on the embedded software for our control system. The position is on-site at our lab, located on the Caltech campus in Pasadena, CA. The ideal candidate will be able to translate high-level requirements (e.g. latency, bandwidth, architecture) into software/firmware implementations (e.g. low-level device drivers, kernel modules, Python APIs) compatible with our FPGA-based control systems. This requires someone who (1) has a strong desire to work within a team of scientists and engineers, and (2) demonstrates ownership in initiating and driving projects to completion. Key job responsibilities - Develop embedded software in C, C++ or Rust for high-performance real-time tasks. - Develop Linux and/or real-time operating system (RTOS) features required to operate control system. - Develop FPGA gateware that drives domain-specific functions of our control hardware. - Develop user-space API that exposes low-level features, preferably in Python. - Develop, test, and optimize control system features on bench-top and in real-world conditions. - Own the stability of control system software and firmware. We are looking for candidates with strong engineering principles, resourcefulness and a bias for action, superior problem-solving and excellent communication skills. Working effectively within a team environment is essential. You will have the opportunity to work on new ideas and stay abreast of the field of experimental quantum computation. A day in the life The lifetime of your projects will likely begin with a lot of discussion and negotiation with our scientists and engineers to translate their software and hardware feature requests into design proposals that demonstrate sensible trade-offs between complexity and delivery. Once a design proposal has been accepted, you will implement it in a logical and maintainable manner. You will also be encouraged to take ownership over the stability and quality of the software and hardware stack by identifying, proposing, and implementing features that will accelerate our realization of quantum computing technologies. You will be joining the Control & Calibration Software team within the AWS Center of Quantum Computing. Our team is comprised of scientists and engineers who are building scalable software that enables quantum computing technologies. About the team AWS Utility Computing (UC) provides product innovations — from foundational services such as Amazon’s Simple Storage Service (S3) and Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), to consistently released new product innovations that continue to set AWS’s services and features apart in the industry. As a member of the UC organization, you’ll support the development and management of Compute, Database, Storage, Internet of Things (Iot), Platform, and Productivity Apps services in AWS, including support for customers who require specialized security solutions for their cloud services. Diverse Experiences AWS values diverse experiences. Even if you do not meet all of the qualifications and skills listed in the job description, we encourage candidates to apply. If your career is just starting, hasn’t followed a traditional path, or includes alternative experiences, don’t let it stop you from applying. Why AWS? Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. We pioneered cloud computing and never stopped innovating — that’s why customers from the most successful startups to Global 500 companies trust our robust suite of products and services to power their businesses. Inclusive Team Culture Here at AWS, it’s in our nature to learn and be curious. Our employee-led affinity groups foster a culture of inclusion that empower us to be proud of our differences. Ongoing events and learning experiences, including our Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) and AmazeCon (gender diversity) conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness. Mentorship & Career Growth We’re continuously raising our performance bar as we strive to become Earth’s Best Employer. That’s why you’ll find endless knowledge-sharing, mentorship and other career-advancing resources here to help you develop into a better-rounded professional. Work/Life Balance We value work-life harmony. Achieving success at work should never come at the expense of sacrifices at home, which is why we strive for flexibility as part of our working culture. When we feel supported in the workplace and at home, there’s nothing we can’t achieve in the cloud. Hybrid Work We value innovation and recognize this sometimes requires uninterrupted time to focus on a build. We also value in-person collaboration and time spent face-to-face. Our team affords employees options to work in the office every day or in a flexible, hybrid work model near one of our U.S. Amazon offices. We are open to hiring candidates to work out of one of the following locations: Pasadena, CA, USA
