Quantum Control Engineer

Contract Type:Full-time, Permanent

Location:Cambridge, UK

Visa Sponsorship available

Join Nu Quantum - Shaping the Future of Technology

Nu Quantum is at the forefront of quantum computing and advanced technology, driven by innovation, diversity, and a commitment to excellence. We’re creating an environment where brilliant minds from all backgrounds collaborate to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

Founded to commercialise research generated over the last decade at the Cavendish Laboratory, Nu Quantum is on a mission to shape the future of quantum information systems.

We’re working on exciting technology that will improve the utility and accelerate the time-to-market of quantum computing systems. We integrate novel quantum photonic technology to form an efficient and scalable quantum networking infrastructure in partnership with world‑leading companies and academic groups.

As a Quantum Control Engineer, you will be embedded in a team designing, commissioning and running experiment control for quantum networking units, and interfacing with trapped‑ion quantum processing units. We manage software and hardware that controls, automates and monitors the scheduling, running and analysis of experiments on these systems. Your role will be to work with Scientists and Engineers to contribute to the development, deployment and maintenance of these control and automation systems.

Our control systems use a mix of python interfaces, some hard real‑time scheduling from the ARTIQ platform, and an array of other in‑house and third‑party hardware. You will be creating reliable workflows to run measurements, gather and analyse data, interfacing with a range of hardware including oscilloscopes, power supplies, laser systems, signal generators and custom electronics. You will work with experienced software, digital and electronic engineers to develop and maintain high‑quality solutions, collaborating with scientific teams to set direction.

We’re looking for a system‑level thinker who thrives on solving complex, cross‑disciplinary challenges — someone who can prototype quickly, automate intelligently, and push hardware to its limits. If you have a growth mindset, with a passion for making quantum technology real, we want you on the team.

• Working in a team defining and implementing experiment control solutions.
• Developing lab equipment control, for both in‑house and third‑party equipment, primarily using python.
• Developing hard real‑time control using the open‑source ARTIQ platform and Sinara open‑source hardware.
• Deploying and configuring experiment control systems, both in‑house and third‑party.
• Working with the software team through development and deployment workflows, adopting and following best practices.
• Collaborating closely with science & engineering teams to translate plans into methodologies that work effectively on available equipment.
• Finding creative approaches for experiments and control techniques that achieve desired performance.
• Implementing and configuring user interfaces (both graphical and text‑based) for experiment control, live monitoring and data visualisation.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to adjust your style and content to various audiences and contexts.
• Strong pro‑active problem‑solving skills, debugging issues with hardware and software, and developing appropriate solutions and diagnostic techniques.
• A desire to contribute to cross‑disciplinary projects requiring close collaboration.
• Strong R&D software development skills, preferably including python, with a desire to learn and adopt best practices.
• Experience interfacing software with test and measurement equipment using drivers, gateware or APIs.
• A numerate degree (undergraduate or postgraduate) or equivalent experience.

This is a wide‑range role, so we work with a lot of tools. We don’t expect you to have prior experience of all these, and we’ll provide training on the job. If you do have experience of any of these though, do let us know, it might be useful!

• Linux deployment/development experience (schedulers,…