Firmware Engineer

Your mission

At planqc, we are building scalable quantum computers based on neutral atoms, one of the most promising platforms for achieving real-world quantum advantage. Keeping our quantum processors stable and reliable depends on precise, continuous control and monitoring of the physical conditions they operate in such as temperature and pressure and on rigorous testing of the electronics that make this possible.

As a Firmware Engineer, you will join our Electrical Engineering team to develop the digital control and monitoring systems that are critical components of our quantum computing platform. Your work will focus on designing and implementing MCU-based solutions that enable the precise control and supervision of environmental parameters. In addition, you will contribute to the development of our automatic electronic testing and verification procedures, test report generation, and documentation.

Your contributions will be critical in advancing system performance, stability, scalability, and verification, as well as in bringing planqc’s quantum hardware to market. This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy working at the intersection of hardware, firmware, and cutting-edge physics.

Your responsibilities

• Design and optimize low-speed control firmware (e.g. microcontrollers, Raspberry Pi) for planqc’s electronics hardware.
• Implement digital interfaces with sensors, low-speed ADCs, DACs, and other peripherals.
• Maintain and continuously improve planqc’s environmental monitoring infrastructure.
• Develop and implement automatic test and verification processes for electronic components.

What you bring

• Degree in Physics or Electrical Engineering.
• Very good command of C/C++ in the context of microcontroller programming.
• Strong Python background.
• Proficient in programming 32-bit microcontrollers (e.g. STM32 or similar).
• Familiarity with Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, or similar embedded platforms.
• Experience interfacing hardware components via protocols such as I2C, SPI, and Ethernet.
• Basic understanding of circuit diagrams.
• Ability to debug simple digital circuits.

Nice to have

• Experience working in a laboratory environment.
• Familiarity with Grafana or similar visualization and analytics tools.
• Experience with open-source databases (e.g. MySQL, InfluxDB, or similar).

What characterizes you

• You enjoy working on problems at the hardware-firmware boundary.
• You are willing to take full ownership of your tasks.
• You are able to drive projects from concept to deployment.
• You are structured and detail-oriented.
• You are quality-conscious in everything you build.

Why join planqc

At planqc, you will work on one of the most promising quantum computing architectures alongside a highly driven and collaborative team spanning physics, engineering, and software.

We combine deep-tech research with an engineering mindset, turning scientific breakthroughs into scalable quantum systems.

Joining us means:

• Working on cutting-edge neutral atom quantum hardware
• Taking ownership of critical control and monitoring systems from day one
• Collaborating with an exceptional, international team across disciplines
• Contributing to a fast-growing quantum startup at a pivotal stage

In addition, we offer a competitive benefits package including professional development opportunities, conference participation, health benefits, company pension and much more!

If you’re excited about building the firmware backbone of next-generation quantum hardware, we’d love to hear from you.

About us

planqc builds neutral-atom quantum computers based on arrays of optically trapped atoms controlled with high-precision laser systems. Our platform combines technologies from optical lattice clocks, quantum gas microscopes and fast Rydberg gates into a scalable computing architecture.

Founded in 2022 as a spin-off from MPQ and LMU Munich, we translate more than a decade of AMO research into deployable quantum systems. Our work spans vacuum and laser hardware, control electronics, firmware, system software and algorithm integration. We focus on turning complex experimental setups into stable, reproducible systems that operate in real computing environments.

Behind this technology is a team that pushes technical boundaries, values open exchange and shared ownership. Physicists, engineers, software developers and business specialists work closely together, often across disciplinary limits. We believe progress comes from combining deep expertise with practical engineering and from giving people the responsibility and trust to shape their domain.

As we grow across our locations in Garching, Ulm and Innsbruck, we continue to build an environment we continue to build a company where people take ownership, learn from each other, and directly shape the systems we bring into operation.