Senior Geophysicist Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Description

About IonQ:
IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world’s most complex problems. IonQ’s newest generation quantum computers, IonQ Tempo and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results. The company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025.

The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ’s advancements in quantum networking position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.

About Vector Atomic:
Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is building quantum technology to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. Our team of engineers, scientists, software developers, and operations professionals works together to solve complex challenges and turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. We value collaboration, curiosity, and diverse perspectives, and we give every team member the opportunity to make an immediate impact while growing their skills. If you’re excited to work on breakthrough technology in a fast-paced, hands-on environment, we’d love to hear from you. 

The Role:
Vector Atomic is building next-generation quantum devices designed for real-world applications, including GPS-free navigation, high-precision timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. As a Senior Rust Software Engineer, you will serve as a technical leader within a rapidly growing, collaborative team of over 80 professionals delivering practical, transformational quantum technologies. In this high-impact role, you will architect and write production-quality Rust code, driving the software strategy for our advanced quantum instruments. You will collaborate deeply across disciplines with physicists, electronics engineers, and firmware engineers, taking ownership of system controllers, data acquisition pipelines, and critical control algorithms on ARM SoCs from concept to deployment. 

Responsibilities:  

• Technical Leadership & Architecture: Lead the design and development of reliable, high-performance, production-quality software architectures in Rust.
• System Control & Drivers: Architect and verify system controllers on ARM SoCs, designing robust user-space drivers for complex peripherals (including mixed-signal devices) and low-latency data acquisition pipelines.
• Advanced Algorithm Implementation: Implement and optimize critical control loops and precision algorithms essential to the stability and operation of quantum sensing instruments.
• Hardware Integration & Bring-up: Partner closely with hardware teams to lead board testing, hardware bring-up, and the implementation of fault-tolerant error-handling systems.
• Quantum Software Infrastructure: Oversee the development and scaling of core software libraries used for the control and automation of next-generation quantum systems.
• Mentorship & Process Improvement: Champion continuous improvement within the development process—leading technical code reviews, project retrospectives, and mentoring junior engineers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field, with 6+ years of professional software engineering experience (with a proven track record in embedded or hardware-adjacent environments).
• To comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), and certain categories of refugees, and asylees.
• Must be fully comfortable working hands-on in a laboratory environment alongside physical hardware and complex test setups.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to bridge technical gaps between hardware engineers, software teams, and physicists.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Extensive background coding in C/C++ or utilizing Python and its scientific libraries for data analysis and modeling.
• Deep expertise in designing, modeling, and coding advanced control algorithms (such as PID loops) and fixed-point digital filters.
• Advanced experience interfacing with external hardware devices through protocols like TCP/UDP, UART, SPI, and I2C.
• Comprehensive background working with SoC/FPGA architectures and developing specialized Linux device drivers.
• Highly proficient in using standard test and measurement equipment—including oscilloscopes, function generators, and voltmeters—to benchmark, validate, and debug software performance.

Benefits

Vector Atomic values teamwork, open and honest discourse, and work-life balance. We are an employee-owned company with competitive compensation and benefits including:

• Platinum-level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)
• Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employer 401(k) contributions
• 20 days of paid time off / 11 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Stock ownership plan
• Fully stocked kitchen

Pay Range
The approximate base salary range for this position is $142,113 to $186,063 per year. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity and benefits.  It's atypical to be hired at the top end of this range for the role, as actual pay is based on several factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience level.

Vector Atomic is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other classification protected by law.

Vector Atomic does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third-party recruiting agencies in response to job postings. No fee will be paid to third parties who submit unsolicited candidates directly to our hiring managers or HR team.