Director, Application Engineering

IonQ is developing the world's most powerful full-stack quantum computer based on trapped-ion technology. We are pushing past the limits of classical physics and current supercomputing technology to unlock a new era of computing. Quantum computing has the potential to impact every area of human society for the better. IonQ’s computers will soon redefine industries like medicine, materials science, finance, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptography, and more. IonQ is at the forefront of this technological revolution.

IonQ is seeking a strategic and visionary Director to build and lead our Application Engineering team. You’ll collaborate closely with our research scientists to turn prototype R&D code into production-ready tools, driving the strategic and technical direction of our quantum libraries and services, ensuring they align with IonQ's overall business objectives and market opportunities in the rapidly evolving quantum computing landscape.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the strategic infrastructure and roadmap for IonQ's quantum programming libraries and services, aligning with business goals and market demands

• Provide technical leadership and guidance in building robust, scalable, and innovative software solutions that can be deployed in a variety of contexts – including on-premise and hybrid cloud

• Drive cross-functional strategic initiatives, collaborating with product, research, and engineering leadership to define long-term technology choices and platform architecture

• Partner closely with our research team to create libraries, tools, and services that serve both their immediate needs as well as the broader needs of our customers

• Work closely with applications customers to integrate application libraries with their development and production workflows.

• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for the application adoption, providing regular reports and insights to executive leadership

In your first three months, you will focus on assessing the current portfolio, identifying key areas for investment, and developing a strategic plan for bringing prototypes into production.

You’d be a good fit with...

• 18+ years of professional experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience

• 12+ years of progressive technical leadership experience, including significant experience in managing and developing large-scale software projects

• 5+ years of experience building and scaling developer tools and client libraries

• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute strategic plans, working cross-functionally to align technology initiatives with business objectives

• Demonstrated ability to bridge and translate technical domains with different architectural models and toolchains (e.g. HPC and SaaS software)

• Experience in building and leading high-performing distributed teams, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence across multiple-timezones

• Sufficient technical proficiency to engage thoughtfully with engineers about architecture and product design, offering valuable insights when necessary

• Experience shipping and operating business-critical distributed systems

• Prior experience as a software engineer and team lead

• Strong written and verbal communication skills for different audiences (your staff, users, the company as a whole)

You’d be a great fit with...

• 18+ years of senior technical leadership experience, including experience at the director level or above (e.g., 30+ engineers organized in multiple layers)

• 10+ years of experience designing Python software libraries, with a proven ability to deliver tasteful, intuitive APIs

• Background in scientific computing applications

• Strong product and design sense

• Experience in driving organizational change and transformation in a rapidly evolving technology environment

• Experience recruiting and managing a distributed workforce across multiple continents

• Experience developing sustainable, in-house framework and abstraction layers

• Strong business acumen and experience in developing and managing the engineering platform for a significant business unit

• Prior experience with quantum computing

Location: This role will be based onsite at our office in Bothell, Washington or our Headquarters in College Park, MD.
Travel: 10%
Job ID: 1134

The approximate base salary range for this position is $194,852 - $255,112. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, and equity.

Compensation will vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Beyond base salary, total compensation includes a variable bonus and equity component and a range of benefit options found on our career site at ionq.co/jobs. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment. Our US benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401K, unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, a home internet stipend, and pet insurance!

IonQ's HQ is located in College Park, Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. We are actively building out our recently opened manufacturing and production facility in Bothell, WA (near Seattle). Depending on the position, you may be required to be near one of our offices in College Park, Seattle, Toronto, Canada, and Basel, Switzerland. However, IonQ will expand into additional domestic and international geographies, so don’t let this stop you from applying!

At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.

We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

US Technical Jobs. The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying “U.S. Person” (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export-controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.

US Non-Technical Jobs. Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be 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. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.

If you are interested in being a part of our team and mission, we encourage you to apply!