This is a full-time, onsite-hybrid Senior Research Software Engineer role at IonQ, a quantum computing company. The position involves building software for lab orchestration, experiment data, and hardware control, with a focus on interacting with physical instruments and handling messy real-world data. It requires significant experience in Python, full software development lifecycle ownership, and specific experience with hardware or lab data.
What they want, where you stand, and the exact résumé edits to qualify.
Biggest lever: Develop a project that involves interacting with physical hardware/instruments and processing their data.
A starter prompt for Claude Code, what you'll need, and how to reach them.
You are a highly experienced Senior Research Software Engineer specializing in Python, software development lifecycle, CI/CD, observability, and, critically, software that interacts with real physical instruments and wrangles messy lab data. Your goal is to draft a tailored resume and cover letter for the IonQ Senior Research Software Engineer position (link: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ionq/jobs/5998606004). Focus on highlighting how my existing experience (e.g., in distributed systems, data processing, automation, and any work with hardware APIs or data acquisition) directly maps to their requirements for lab orchestration, experiment data, and hardware control. Emphasize my ability to take ownership of the full software development lifecycle. Structure the cover letter to clearly articulate why my background is a perfect fit for building software that talks to real instruments and wrangles real, messy, physical-world data. Prioritize demonstrating relevant experience over quantum physics knowledge, as they state 'No physics background is required!'.
IonQ | Senior Research Software Engineer | Boston, MA (ONSITE - Hybrid) | Full-time We are looking for a Senior Research Software Engineer for our Global R&D team at IonQ. You'd build the software our quantum scientists rely on for lab orchestration, experiment data, and hardware control. If you've written software that talks to real instruments and wrangles real, messy, physical-world data, this might be for you. Looking for: 5+ years of experience, strong Python skills, ownership of the full software development lifecycle, observability, and CI/CD. Hardware or lab-data experience is the bar. No physics background is required! Apply here: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ionq/jobs/5998606004
Build a small public project (e.g., using a Raspberry Pi or Arduino) where Python controls a physical sensor/actuator, collects raw data, and processes/visualizes it. Focus on robust error handling, basic observability, and automating the deployment/testing (e.g., via GitHub Actions) for the software controlling it. (4-6 weeks)
Core skill set of the operator.
Crucial filter; operator needs this prior experience.
Standard application process.
Standard job application skill.
Apply directly via the Greenhouse link provided in the job posting: https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ionq/jobs/5998606004
“My 5+ years of experience building robust Python software for demanding hardware interfaces and managing complex data pipelines in scientific environments directly aligns with IonQ's need for a Senior Research Software Engineer for lab orchestration and hardware control.”
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