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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Engineer, System Automation (Device Interfaces) - **Company:** Psiquantum, Corp. - **Location:** New York, NY, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $182,200.0 - $214,100.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Abstraction Layers, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Systems Engineering, Computer Engineering, Software Debugging, Fault Tolerance, Firmware, Python (Programming Language), Performance Tuning, Software Requirements Analysis, System Software, System Testing, Integration Tests, Information Technology, Low Latency - **Published:** September 4, 2026 - **Apply:** https://startup.jobs/senior-engineer-system-automation-device-interfaces-psiquantum-8027663 ## About the Role * B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Optical Engineering, or a related technical discipline. * 5+ years of relevant experience in systems engineering, hardware automation, embedded systems, controls, test/integration, scientific software, or a related field. * Strong Python development skills for hardware control, automation, prototyping, debugging, integration, and test development. * Experience working hands on with complex hardware systems spanning firmware, software, and test/integration environments. * Experience translating system-level use cases into clear software, firmware, interface, or test requirements. * Proven ability to drive ambiguous technical requirements to closure across multiple engineering teams. * Strong communication and documentation skills. Preferred Qualifications * Experience with photonic, electro-optic, optical, RF, or related hardware systems. * Experience defining or using device APIs, hardware abstraction layers, firmware-exposed interfaces, instrument drivers, or control-system APIs. * Experience with calibration workflows, automated calibration routines, or experimental control systems. * Familiarity with firmware constraints such as latency, determinism, bandwidth limits, sequencing, and real-time behavior. * Experience with system-level modelling, device behavior modelling, or hardware/control interface modelling. * Experience defining integration tests, hardware-in-the-loop tests, or validation plans for device interfaces. * Track record of driving alignment across hardware, firmware, software, and test teams. ## Description At PsiQuantum, we are developing prototype modules that will scale into a datacenter-sized, fault-tolerant quantum computer. These systems depend on photonic and electro-optic devices whose capabilities must be exposed reliably through firmware, Python APIs, hardware abstraction layers, and control software. This role owns the system-level translation layer between device capabilities and the automation workflows that use them. The engineer will define device interface requirements, support modelling and control-stack integration, and partner with firmware engineers to migrate performance-sensitive functionality into firmware. Role Overview Define, validate, and integrate device interfaces for photonic/electro-optic systems, with a focus on enabling scalable calibration, automation, monitoring, modelling, and control workflows. Why is this role unique? This role shapes how in-house hardware capabilities are exposed and used across the system. It requires actively driving device interfaces from system needs through implementation, validation, and integration, all while working across hardware, firmware, software, system design, and test teams. What success looks like? Success in this role means: * Clear device interface requirements tied to real system use cases. * Python-accessible interfaces that integrate cleanly through the hardware abstraction layer and control stack. * Better system bring-up, debugging, and integration confidence. * Improved system automation by migrating more complex functionality into firmware. Over time, this work establishes scalable device interface patterns for reliable automation and repeatable, performant calibration workflows., Device Interface Requirements & System Use Case * Own and drive device interface requirements for photonic/electro-optic devices and related in-house hardware. * Consolidate inputs from device design, calibration, automation, software, firmware, and integration teams. * Translate system-level automation and calibration needs into firmware and control-software requirements. * Develop a strong understanding of calibration workflows to identify required device capabilities, edge cases, sequencing needs, and operational constraints. * Drive ambiguous interface needs to closure by resolving requirements, tradeoffs, and ownership across teams. Control Stack Integration & Modelling Support * Partner with software engineers to integrate device interfaces through the control stack. * Prototype, debug, and contribute Python code for hardware control, automation, integration, and test workflows. * Define test requirements to ensure device interfaces are exercised correctly during integration and system testing. * Debug issues across firmware, software, and physical devices. * Support modelling efforts that depend on device behavior, capabilities, or control workflow assumptions. Firmware Migration & Performance Optimization * Identify calibration, automation, or control functionality that should migrate from Python/control software into firmware or lower-level software. * Develop prototype implementations to guide migration and verification. * Partner with firmware engineers during requirement definition and implementation. ## Related Videos - [More efficient software for more efficient microchips](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1164-more-efficient-software-for-more-efficient-microchips) - [How To Test A Ball of Mud](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/173-how-to-test-a-ball-of-mud) - [Swapping Low Latency Data Storage Under High Load](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/746-swapping-low-latency-data-storage-under-high-load) - [Playing Pong on a shoulder press machine](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100140-playing-pong-on-a-shoulder-press-machine) - [How I Built QA from Scratch in a Scaling Startup - no fluff real life story](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2041-how-i-built-qa-from-scratch-in-a-scaling-startup-no-fluff-real-life-story) - [Strange New Worlds: shaping the future of the digital age](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/677-strange-new-worlds-shaping-the-future-of-the-digital-age) ## Related Articles - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [What is Software Engineering?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/289-what-is-software-engineering) - [Top Characteristics of a Software Engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/166-top-characteristics-of-a-software-engineer) - [The 12 Best Jobs for Software Engineers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/401-the-12-best-jobs-for-software-engineers) - [Is Software Engineering Hard?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/448-is-software-engineering-hard) - [Résumé-Driven Development: How IT trends affect the job market for software developers](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/59-resume-driven-development-how-it-trends-affect-the-job-market-for-software-developers)