Compiler Engineer – Quantum Software

Job Description

Job Title: Principal Compiler Engineer - Quantum Software. Location: Tokyo, Japan

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and evolve compiler infrastructure for quantum-classical programming workflows, including language front ends, type systems, intermediate representations, optimization passes, lowering pipelines, runtime interfaces, and backend integration.
• Develop programming language features including functional type systems, semantic analysis, program transformation, static analysis, and correctness-oriented compiler design;
• Develop production-quality software primarily in Python and Rust, from research prototypes through maintainable product systems.
• Help define and implement multi-level compiler architectures connecting high-level programming abstractions, quantum circuit representations, runtime systems, and execution targets.
• Analyze compiler workflows and software stack performance to identify bottlenecks, improve scalability, and support efficient hybrid quantum-classical applications.
• Contribute to architectural decisions that keep the compiler stack extensible, maintainable, testable, and aligned with the long-term quantum software roadmap.
• Collaborate with compiler teams in the UK and USA on architecture, implementation strategy, standards, and delivery plans. Some international travel is expected.
• Partner with scientific teams to translate quantum computing research into compiler features, programming models, and developer workflows.
• Work with product and application teams to ensure compiler capabilities address user needs and integrate with broader platforms and developer tools.
• Lead complex software projects from concept through delivery, including architecture, planning, implementation, review, testing, documentation, and handoff.
• Mentor junior and mid-level engineers through design reviews, code reviews, technical guidance, and project leadership;
• Help establish software engineering standards, compiler design practices, and review processes that improve code quality and maintainability.
• Contribute to research discussions, technical papers, conference submissions, publications, and external collaborations where appropriate.
• Help position the organization as a technical leader in quantum programming languages, compiler systems, and hybrid quantum-classical software.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or PhD in Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, or a related technical field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with significant experience designing and building compilers, programming languages, developer tools, runtimes, or related software infrastructure;
• Strong programming ability in Python and Rust, or deep expertise in one with the ability to work professionally in both.
• Experience with compiler implementation topics such as parsing, semantic analysis, type systems, intermediate representations, optimization, lowering, code generation, runtime integration, or program transformation.
• Strong understanding of programming language design and implementation, particularly functional programming concepts and type systems.
• Experience leading technically complex software projects in ambiguous or research-adjacent environments;
• Ability to work across the full software stack, from prototypes through production-quality software delivery.
• Strong communication skills across engineering, scientific, product, and leadership teams.
• Experience mentoring engineers and raising technical standards within a team.

Preferred:

• Experience with quantum computing, quantum programming languages, quantum circuit compilation, hybrid quantum-classical workflows, or quantum runtime systems.
• Experience with multi-level compiler infrastructure such as MLIR, LLVM, or similar systems.
• Experience designing domain-specific languages, embedded languages, or advanced type systems.
• Background in functional programming languages or ecosystems such as Haskell, OCaml, F#, Scala, Rust, or similar.
• Experience with compiler correctness, formal methods, static analysis, program verification, or strongly typed intermediate representations.
• Experience contributing to research publications, patents, open-source projects, or external technical collaborations.
• Experience working with distributed teams across multiple time zones.
• Experience in high-performance computing, distributed systems, scientific software, or developer platforms.

Soft Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to bridge conversations between scientists, compiler engineers, software engineers, and product stakeholders.
• Strong ownership mindset and ability to drive projects through ambiguity;
• Pragmatic approach to balancing research exploration with production software delivery.
• Ability to mentor others while remaining hands-on with technical implementation.
• Collaborative working style suited to globally distributed teams.