Quantum Technology Platform Architect

About the Role

SkyWater is seeking a Quantum Technology Platform Architect, an enterprise technical leader responsible for connecting customer system requirements, market opportunities, and technology platform capabilities in high-growth markets like quantum, thermal imaging, and advanced packaging. This role blends deep engineering expertise with business strategy, serving as the primary technical interface for customers and ecosystem partners during opportunity development, technology definition, and platform adoption activities.

Working closely with Business Unit leadership, Platform Managers, Sales, and Technology Development teams, the Technology Platform Architect translates customer and market requirements into actionable development priorities and solutions. The role combines technical leadership, customer engagement, and market insight to ensure SkyWater technologies remain aligned with evolving customer needs and emerging market opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Customer System & Technical Discovery
  • Serve as the primary technical interface during early customer engagements and proposal shaping.
  • Lead technical discovery sessions with customers and ecosystem partners to understand system architectures and opportunities for a SkyWater solution.
  • Capture customer workflows, integration architectures, and operational requirements.
  • Lead technical evaluation of customer solution and fit with SkyWater goals to justify and prioritize opportunities.
  • Provide technical leadership for complex customer pursuits requiring new capabilities or technology modifications.
• Solution Architecture & Opportunity Development
  • Lead development of solution architectures for customer and partner opportunities.
  • Define technical approaches for custom development programs and platform engagements resulting in a set of customer requirements for SkyWater to scope and bid.
  • Drive internal project scoping and prioritization.
  • Translate customer requirements and internal scoping and execution plans resulting in mutually agreed Statements of Work as well as quotable products for Sales.
  • Participate in opportunity reviews and approval processes.
• Platform Requirement & Capability Definition
  • Serve as the enterprise authority on system-level architecture and platform direction in assigned technology.
  • Lead future platform investments through customer and market insights.
  • Define where SkyWater can create differentiated value by translating system needs into platform capability requirements.
  • Define performance envelopes and technical guardrails and ability to make technology tradeoff decisions.
• Technical Market Positioning
  • Develop and present technical white papers, application notes, and conference materials.
  • Provide technical content for market collateral and external communications.
  • Support Platform Management and Sales with system-level value articulation.
  • Develop reference architectures and customer-facing technical frameworks.
  • Support onboarding activities for platform customers.

Requirements

• Education: BS required in Engineering, Physics, or Material Science.
• Experience: 8-12 years progressive experience in system engineering, process or integration, or development engineering.
• Demonstrated impact on product/platform revenue.
• Led multiple development programs from concept through qualification.
• Deep domain expertise in assigned platform or market, including a strong understanding of semiconductor technology development and commercialization.
• Able to lead customer and industry discussions uncovering system-level requirements via technical discovery workshops, document results, and turn into requirements to support technology development.
• Ability to translate ambiguous customer needs into structured project requirements.
• Strong customer-facing communication skills.
• Travel Requirements: 25%.
• US Citizenship Required: This position will require the holding of, or ability to obtain, a US government security clearance.

Desired Qualifications

• Education: MS preferred in Engineering, Physics, or Material Science.
• Experience: 5+ years in system architecture or product design in assigned area.
• Experience leading custom technology development programs exceeding $5M in value or involving multiple technical disciplines.
• Participation in industry groups and ability to present to Executive level.
• Platform Launch Experience.
• Contributed to platform revenue targets in support of P&L ownership.
• Regulated/Defense experience preferred.

Pay

The annual salary range for this role is $158,960 - $238,440. Pay offered is based on many factors including, but not limited to, the job-related experience, skills, education, and credentials of each candidate.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and opportunity to participate in incentive plans.
• Employee financial benefits including 401k match, life insurance, and opportunities to purchase SkyWater stock at a discounted rate.
• Comprehensive benefits package including:
  • Benefit eligibility from day one.
  • Medical, dental, mental health benefits, and vision.
  • Legal planning.
  • Short- and long-term disability.
  • Paid time off and paid holidays.
  • On-site fitness facility and self-serve market.
• Reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.