Cloud Engineer - Quantum Computing (m/w/d)

the company develops and operates full-stack quantum computers based on trapped-ion technology. Quantum computing is a new computing paradigm rapidly approaching commercial viability. Our unique approach combines laser-cooled trapped ions with microwave control and tailored magnetic fields. Our next-generation computing machines under development will be able to find solutions to problems that are out of reach today, thus enabling new innovative products and services for a brighter future.

We are looking for a Cloud Engineer (m/f/d) to join us in Hamburg or Siegen and build and operate the scalable, secure cloud platform that connects users with our trapped-ion quantum computers.

Responsibilities:

You will join our Quantum firmware Team as a Cloud Engineer. You will build the layer through which the world reaches our quantum computers. Users submit quantum programs; your services compile, schedule, and dispatch them to our machines and return the results:

• Build and operate the cloud services that let users submit quantum programs to our systems and retrieve their results.

• Develop and deploy our compilation pipeline as a scalable cloud service , from circuit input through transpilation down to hardware-level instructions

• Design and maintain the public API and SDK entry points to our platform

• Implement job queuing, scheduling, and dispatch towards the hardware backends, including quota, prioritisation, and result handling

• Own authentication and authorisation across the platform: user and tenant identity, API keys and tokens, and role-based access to machines, jobs, and results, built on an established identity provider rather than from scratch

• Guarantee tenant isolation, so that quantum programs and results are never visible across customer boundaries, and manage secrets and credentials across the stack

• Work with the quantum firmware and hardware teams on the interfaces between cloud services and the machine itself

• Instrument the platform for observability and keep an eye on latency, throughput, and cost

Required Skills:

• 3+ years of hands-on experience building and deploying backend or platform services in production

• Strong Python; additional systems-level language experience (Go, Rust, C++) is welcome

• Solid API design skills (REST and/or gRPC) for services other developers have to use

• Practical experience implementing authentication and authorisation in production systems: OAuth 2.0 / OpenID Connect, token handling, and role-based access control

• Secure engineering habits: least privilege by default, proper secrets management, and awareness of dependency and container supply-chain risks

• Infrastructure as code (Terraform, Pulumi, or similar) and CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, or similar)

• Working understanding of GDPR and data residency requirements, and a genuine interest in digital sovereignty

• Ability to collaborate effectively with experimental physicists and engineers

• Strong adaptability and a quick learning mindset

• Good proficiency in English (written and spoken); German is an advantage for working with public-sector partners

Nice to have (Bonus)

• Running an identity provider in production (Keycloak, Zitadel, Ory, Authentik, or a managed IAM service)

• Multi-tenant isolation patterns in SaaS platforms

• Contributing to security certification work (ISO 27001, BSI IT-Grundschutz, BSI C5) or acting on penetration test findings

• Familiarity with quantum SDKs and toolchains (Qiskit, Cirq, PennyLane, QIR) or hardware abstraction interfaces such as QDMI

• Batch scheduling or HPC environments (Slurm or similar)

• Observability stacks such as Prometheus, Grafana, or OpenTelemetry

• Prior exposure to quantum computing or other deep-tech domains

What you can expect from the company:

• Competitive salary: We value our team members and therefore provide remunerations that reflect this, additionally rewarding achievements

• Flexible working hours: We offer personal freedom through a variety of flexible work schedules

• Team spirit: In our international and diverse team, and with our regular team events, having fun at work is simply part of the culture

• Further development: We want to grow together and so we offer our team members needs-based, individualized further training as well as plenty of room for personal development

• Wellness Package: We offer health-promoting benefits such as fitness programs like UrbanSportsClub to support your well-being

• Bike Leasing: Stay Mobile and Sustainable with Our Company Bike Leasing Program

• Moving Benefits: A warm welcome! We are happy to support employees who move for us with a bonus

• At the forefront: Work at the forefront of technology, where academic research meets commercial applications

• Modern workplace: We have a high-quality infrastructure with laboratory space, offices and meeting rooms