Senior Software Developer

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Software Developer. Location: Yorktown Heights, New York, USA

Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and maintain core components and public APIs for the Qiskit SDK.
• Build high-performance, well-tested, and production-quality software with a focus on usability, extensibility, and backward compatibility.
• Contribute to compiler infrastructure, including intermediate representations (IRs), optimization passes, and compilation pipelines.
• Design and implement performance-critical compiler and runtime components.
• Review code and mentor internal engineers and external open source contributors;
• Participate in open source development, including design discussions, code reviews, documentation, and software releases.
• Collaborate with research, hardware, high performance computing (HPC), and product teams.
• Support external developers, researchers, and industry partners using Qiskit.
• Debug and resolve complex issues across a large and evolving codebase.
• Promote software ownership, technical excellence, and open source best practices.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Strong proficiency in Rust and Python.
• Demonstrated experience building and maintaining performance-critical software systems.
• Deep experience designing, developing, or maintaining compiler frameworks or complex compilation pipelines;
• Strong understanding of compiler architecture, including intermediate representations (IRs), optimization passes, and compilation pipelines.
• Significant experience contributing to or maintaining large open source software projects.
• Experience participating in technical design discussions and code reviews.

Preferred:

• Doctorate degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• Experience with LLVM, MLIR, or similar compiler infrastructures.
• Experience designing custom intermediate representations (IRs) or domain-specific compilation workflows.
• Familiarity with quantum compiler concepts, including circuit representations, compilation, optimization, and synthesis.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Annual salary: $225,000 to $275,000, depending on skills, experience, and location.
• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, vision, and mental health coverage.
• Financial benefits including 401(k), cash balance pension plan, employee stock purchase plan, financial counseling, life insurance, and disability coverage.
• Performance-based incentive opportunities.
• Paid time off including:
  • 12 paid holidays
  • Minimum 56 hours of sick leave
  • 120 hours of vacation
  • 12 weeks of parental bonding leave
  • Additional paid family and care leave where applicable
• Access to IBM's AI-powered learning platform, professional training, and industry certifications.
• Employee resource groups, volunteer opportunities, and discounts on products and services.

Other Information:

• Work arrangement: Hybrid.
• Travel required: Up to 20% (approximately one day per week).
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship.
• IBM Research develops next-generation technologies in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and hybrid cloud;
• IBM is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, inclusion, and fair employment practices. Qualified applicants are considered regardless of race, religion, gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics.
• IBM may consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with applicable laws.