The Amazon 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 Instrument Control Engineer to join our growing software team. You will work closely with our experimental physics and control hardware development teams to enable their work characterizing, calibrating, and operating novel quantum devices. The ideal candidate should be able to translate high-level science requirements into software implementations (e.g. Python APIs/frameworks, compiler passes, embedded SW, instrument drivers) that are performant, scalable, and intuitive. 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. This role has a particular emphasis on working directly with our control hardware designers and vendors to develop instrument software for test and measurement.Inclusive Team CultureHere at Amazon, 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 conferences, inspire us to never stop embracing our uniqueness.Diverse ExperiencesAmazon 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.Mentorship & Career GrowthWe'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 BalanceWe 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.Export Control RequirementDue to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be either a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be able to obtain a US export license. If you are unsure if you meet these requirements, please apply and Amazon will review your application for eligibility.Key job responsibilities- Work with control hardware developers, as a "subject matter expert" on the software interfaces around our control hardware- Collaborate with external control hardware vendors to understand and refine integration strategies- Implement instrument drivers and control logic in Python and/or a low-level languages, including C++ or Rust- Contribute to our compiler backend to enable the efficient execution of OpenQASM-based experiments on our next-generation control hardware- Benchmark system performance and help define key performance metrics- Ensure new features are successfully integrated into our Python-based experimental software stack- Partner with scientists to actively contribute to the codebase through mentorship and documentationWe are looking for candidates with strong engineering principles, a bias for action, superior problem-solving, and excellent communication skills. Working effectively within a team environment is essential. As an Instrument Control Engineer embedded in a broader science organization, you will have the opportunity to work on new ideas and stay abreast of the field of experimental quantum computation.A day in the lifeYour time will be spent on projects that extend functional capabilities or performance of our internal research software stack. This requires working backwards from the needs of science staff in the context of our larger experimental roadmap. You will translate science and software requirements into design proposals balancing implementation complexity against time-to-delivery. Once a design proposal has been reviewed and accepted, you'll drive implementation and coordinate with internal stakeholders to ensure a smooth roll out. Because many high-level experimental goals have cross-cutting requirements, you'll often work closely with other engineers or scientists or on the team.About the teamYou will be joining the Software group within the Amazon Center of Quantum Computing. Our team is comprised of scientists and software engineers who are building scalable software that enables quantum computing technologies.