Senior Quantum Software Developer - flaQship

(Senior) Quantum Software Developer - fla Qship (All Genders)

The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is one of the world's leading organizations for application-oriented research. 74 institutes develop pioneering technologies for our economy and society. They know:
Anyone who comes to Fraunhofer wants to and can make a difference. For themselves, for us and for the markets of today and tomorrow. The »Digital Business« research group at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO works on national and international research, development, and consulting projects to harness the potential of quantum computers for industry and societal use. The Fraunhofer Lab for Quantum Computing Stuttgart-Heilbronn (fla Qship) unites the expertise of the Fraunhofer Institute IAO and the Fraunhofer Institute IPA under a shared vision.

We bring together researchers from physics, mathematics, computer science, communications, economics, and political science, as well as leading professors, to drive excellence in research, agile strategies, and cross-functional collaboration – thus shaping the future of quantum computing. We are looking for a highly skilled and motivated (Senior) Quantum Software Developer to join our Quantum Service Engineering research area – someone like you.

At the rapidly growing innovation and AI hub in Heilbronn, you will work closely with quantum physicists, researchers, and engineers. Together, you will translate theoretical concepts into robust, scalable, and maintainable software systems and disseminate research results through accessible software tools.

Be part of change

Core Software Development

• Lead the design, development, testing, and maintenance of the fla Qship toolkit
• Integrate the fla Qship toolkit via standardized APIs into the national quantum computing full stack and enable workflow-integration with established toolkits and framework (e.g. MQT or Eclipse Qrisp)
• Coordinate software releases and ensure research outputs are packaged into well-documented, reusable tools

Research Translation & Dissemination

• Collaborate with researchers and domain experts to translate scientific requirements into technical implementations
• Professionalize and optimize algorithms and software packages with respect to performance, scalability, and reliability
• Write clear, maintainable documentation and contribute to technical design reviews

Agentic Workflows & Automation

• Evaluate, implement, and advance AI-assisted development workflows using generative and agentic tools
• Establish best practices for integrating LLM-based agents into research software pipelines
• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive development and documentation tasks

What you contribute

• Master's degree in computer science, software engineering or a comparable field
• Strong background in software engineering and interest working at the intersection of applied research and emerging technologies
• Proficiency in Python, C++, Java, and/or Rust, a good understanding of data structures, software design principles, version control systems (e.g., Git), and the ability to work in Linux/Unix environments
• Experience with agentic AI tools, LLM-assisted development, and workflow automation
• Ideally, domain expertise in one of these fields: machine learning, scientific computing, or quantum computing
• An interest in solving complex problems, leadership experience in technical initiatives, ability to work in interdisciplinary teams and confident communication skills in English (additional German skills are advantageous but not required)
• Willingness to maintain a regular on-site presence in Heilbronn in line with project and collaboration needs

What we offer

• You will work in an interdisciplinary, international research environment with direct access to leading experts, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and strong industry partnerships.
• You will contribute to one of Germany's leading applied quantum computing initiatives, working closely with national and international partners at the forefront of the field.
• Team-oriented work and an excellent working atmosphere will support your day-to-day work.
• Your modern workplace will be at one of Germany's most dynamic and…