Associate Firmware Engineer

About Vector Atomic:

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is building quantum technology to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. Our team of engineers, scientists, software developers, and operations professionals works together to solve complex challenges and turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. We value collaboration, curiosity, and diverse perspectives, and we give every team member the opportunity to make an immediate impact while growing their skills. If you’re excited to work on breakthrough technology in a fast-paced, hands-on environment, we’d love to hear from you.

Location: This role is based onsite at our office in Pleasanton, CA.

Travel: Up to 5%, domestic or international.

Job ID: 1702

The Role:

We're looking for exceptional early-career engineers to grow with us. As an Associate Firmware Engineer, you'll work alongside world-class physicists and hardware engineers to build embedded software for next-generation quantum sensing instruments. This is a hands-on, high-impact role where your code directly enables precision measurement at the frontier of quantum technology.

If you've just completed a degree from a top engineering program and want to do work that matters, not CRUD apps, but real-time control systems running inside instruments that measure the universe, this is your role.

Responsibilities:

• Write and verify embedded firmware for ST microcontrollers, including COTS devices and MCUs integrated into custom ASICs
• Implement control algorithms critical to the operation of high-precision quantum sensing instruments
• Develop peripheral drivers for mixed-signal devices, working directly from electronic schematics
• Partner with hardware engineers on board testing and bring-up activities
• Contribute to a rigorous engineering culture through code reviews, GitHub task tickets, and retrospectives
• Clearly document and communicate your work in a highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science from an accredited program, we're targeting graduates from highly rated programs with strong fundamentals
• Demonstrated ability to write production-quality C/C++ for small embedded processors
• Experience writing interrupt service routines, peripheral drivers, and multi-threaded firmware using RTOSs and/or bare-metal environments
• Scripting experience in Python, Perl, or similar languages
• Hands-on experience with lab test equipment (oscilloscopes, function generators, voltmeters)
• Strong debugging instincts, able to isolate and resolve bugs using debuggers and simulation tools
• Comfort working in a laboratory setting
• To comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), and certain categories of refugees, and asylees.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience designing PID or other control algorithms
• Familiarity with fixed-point arithmetic and digital filter design
• Experience with communication protocols: TCP, UDP, UART, SPI, I2C, or similar
• Assembly language programming for embedded targets
• Experience with lightweight Ethernet stacks (e.g., lwIP)
• Background with SoC or FPGA devices

Benefits will be provided by Vector Atomic, an IonQ Company, and will differ from the benefits listed on the IonQ website.

Benefits:

Vector Atomic values teamwork, open and honest discourse, and work-life balance. We offer competitive compensation and benefits including:

• Platinum-level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)
• Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employer 401(k) contributions
• 20 days of paid time off & 11 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Fully stocked kitchen

The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity and benefits. It's atypical to be hired at the top end of this range for the role, as actual pay is based on several factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.