Software Engineering Director, Cloud Services

Software Engineering Director, Cloud Services

IonQ is seeking a strategic and visionary Software Engineering Director to lead the development and operation of the core services provided by the IonQ Quantum Cloud platform. This role is pivotal in delivering access to our advanced quantum computers and simulators via our APIs in the cloud and on-prem. The Director will drive the technical direction of the IonQ Quantum Cloud API platform, ensuring it aligns with IonQ's overall business objectives and market opportunities in the rapidly evolving quantum computing landscape.

The ideal candidate will have experience leading or contributing to multiple simultaneous initiatives, balancing activities with prioritization for maximum impact. You will balance technical expertise with strong business judgment to make decisions with lasting impact, strive for simplicity, and demonstrate creativity and incisive judgment. You will enjoy learning technical topics, working across multiple business streams, and be uniquely positioned to help us reach the next horizon in secure quantum computing.

• Develop and execute the technical roadmap for IonQ's quantum platform, aligning with business goals and market demands
• Own API design and versioning strategy for IonQ Quantum Cloud, ensuring APIs are consistent, well-documented, and easy to integrate with
• Partner closely with developer tools leadership to ensure seamless integration between cloud services and client SDKs
• Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives, collaborating with product, research, and engineering leadership to define long-term technology choices and platform architecture
• Manage technical delivery of integrations with major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP), ensuring alignment with IonQ's cloud strategy and business objectives
• Develop and manage the cloud services portfolio budget, ensuring cost optimization and alignment with financial goals
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for the cloud platform, providing regular reports and insights to executive leadership
• Provide technical leadership and guidance in building robust, scalable, and innovative software solutions for on-prem and hybrid environments

In your first three months, you will focus on assessing the current cloud platform strategy, identifying key areas for improvement, and delivering new capabilities to meet growing global demand.

• 12+ years of progressive technical leadership experience, including managing and developing large-scale cloud platforms
• 7+ years designing and operating cloud APIs and services at scale
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic plans, working cross-functionally to align technology initiatives with business objectives
• Experience building and leading high-performing distributed teams across multiple timezones
• Sufficient technical proficiency to engage with engineers about architecture and product design
• Experience shipping and operating business-critical distributed systems
• Experience managing teams using AI agents for engineering tasks
• Prior experience as a software engineer and team lead
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for different audiences

• 18+ years of senior technical leadership experience at director level or above (e.g., 30+ engineers)
• 10+ years designing and scaling APIs, with a track record of shipping developer-friendly interfaces
• Experience owning a multi-tenant cloud API product end-to-end—from design through deployment and operations
• Strong product and design sense
• Experience driving organizational change in rapidly evolving environments
• Experience recruiting and managing geographically distributed teams
• Experience developing sustainable, in-house framework and abstraction layers
• Strong business acumen and experience managing the engineering platform for a significant business unit
• Experience managing incident response, on-call rotations, and retrospectives
• Experience with AI-assisted software development
• Experience building/scaling platform-as-a-service offerings and, ideally, quantum computing experience

Location: Onsite in Bothell, WA or College Park, MD. Travel: Up to 10%

The approximate base salary range for this position is $221,925 - $290,558. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, and equity.

Compensation varies by market, experience, and other factors. Details of benefits are available on IonQ’s careers site.

IonQ is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.