Senior Integration/API architect

About the role

PsiQuantum is building a general-purpose silicon photonic quantum computer to tackle problems that cannot be solved on any conventional computer. We are seeking a senior API & Workflow Platform Architect to design and scale the integration architecture connecting our photonic IC (PIC), passive, and active IC design toolchains.

Our engineering workflows span schematic capture, layout, DRC/LVS, EM simulation, optical modeling, process modeling, packaging co-design, and silicon validation. These flows rely on a combination of commercial EDA tools, in-house solvers, Python-based automation, and data pipelines.

An ideal candidate is a systems-minded API and workflow architect who thrives at the intersection of software engineering and advanced hardware design environments (photonics, semiconductor, or EDA toolchains). They bring deep experience designing and governing APIs across heterogeneous systems—proprietary CAD tools, simulation engines, layout databases, EM/optical solvers, test platforms, and CI/CD pipelines—while defining canonical data models that preserve design intent and traceability from schematic through layout, extraction, verification, and tape-out. They are equally comfortable writing production-grade Python services and debating schema versioning strategy, event-driven orchestration, or data lineage requirements. The ideal candidate combines architectural rigor with pragmatism: able to reduce toolchain chaos into scalable, observable, and secure integration platforms that enable automation, reproducibility, and rapid innovation across PIC, passive, and active IC design teams.

Responsibilities

• Key member of the software solutions team responsible for developing and deploying software for test systems, product platforms, and manufacturing data management.
• Design and standardize APIs enabling interoperability between EDA tools, in-house photonic solvers, PDK infrastructure, and CI/CD systems (GitLab is a plus).
• Build and maintain middleware/adapters for commercial and proprietary tools with inconsistent or limited APIs.
• Establish API versioning, schema validation, and backward compatibility strategies to support evolving toolchains without breaking downstream flows.
• Implement observability and traceability mechanisms (logging, metrics, lineage tracking) to ensure reproducibility and auditability of design runs.
• Collaborate with device, layout, and simulation engineers to translate domain requirements into robust platform abstractions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related technical field.
• 7+ years of software engineering experience, with significant exposure to systems integration or platform architecture.
• Proven experience designing and governing APIs (REST, gRPC, event-driven architectures) in complex, multi-tool environments.
• Familiarity with data interchange formats (Protocol Buffers, Avro, etc.).
• Experience integrating with data platforms (Databricks, Tableau, etc.).
• Strong programming skills in Python (required) and at least one systems or backend language (Go, C++, Java, Rust, or similar).
• Experience integrating heterogeneous tools, including proprietary or vendor software with limited or inconsistent APIs.
• Demonstrated experience defining canonical data models and managing schema/versioning strategy.
• Familiarity with CI/CD systems, containerization (Docker), and orchestration platforms (e.g., Kubernetes or equivalent).
• Experience implementing logging, monitoring, and observability for distributed systems.
• Strong understanding of software architecture principles: modularity, loose coupling, scalability, reliability.
• Experience working in engineering-heavy domains (EDA, semiconductor, hardware, scientific computing, or similar).
• Proven team player with an ability to work effectively across departments, sites, and time zones.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with an ability to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences.
• Strong critical thinking, creative, innovative, analytical, and detail-oriented problem-solving skills.
• Proven track record of impactful results.
• Ability to work independently with limited direction.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and juggle multiple priorities and deliver against a schedule.
• Demonstrated interest in quantum computing.
• Ability to contribute to a fast-paced start-up environment.

Pay

U.S. Base Pay Range: $165,000—$185,000 USD

Bay Area Pay Range: $180,000—$200,000 USD

Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full-time roles are eligible for equity and benefits.