Full-Time
Senior Hardware Engineer
Atom Computing
51-200 employees
Quantum computing with neutral atom qubits
Compensation Overview
$140k - $160k/yr
Boulder, CO, USA
In Person
 Hardware Engineering (2) |
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- BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
- At least 5 years of relevant postgraduate professional experience in board-level analog and digital circuit design, preferably with Altium Designer.
- Board-level circuit design, schematic capture, and PCB layout in Altium Designer of custom control system hardware.
- Prepare detailed technical specifications and design documentation and assist with reviewing schematics and layout of custom electronic designs.
- Actively participate in the bring-up, verification, and testing of control system hardware systems, collaborating closely with FPGA, firmware, and software engineers.
- Develop characterization, verification / validation, and automated test procedures and programs for various instruments that the team develops.
- Assist in managing interactions with contract electronics manufacturers and suppliers for PCB design and assembly.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of design and testing processes within the hardware team.
- Mixed signal instrument design experience
- RF front-end and high speed ADC/DAC design experience
- Familiarity with RF design concepts and/or software defined radio
- Experience working in a Linux environment
- Familiarity with the MicroTCA, PXIe, or similar pluggable instrument standards
Atom Computing builds quantum computers using neutral atom qubits, based in Berkeley. Its hardware relies on arrays of neutral atoms that act as qubits and can maintain quantum states for long periods, enabling complex calculations. The product works by trapping and manipulating these atoms with lasers and devices to perform quantum operations, with systems designed to scale to larger qubit counts while preserving coherence. The company differentiates itself by its focus on neutral-atom technology, which can offer long coherence times and scalable architectures, supported by collaborations, funding, and partnerships rather than relying solely on a single approach or software-only solutions. Its goal is to become a leader in quantum computing by delivering high-performance systems to universities, research groups, and tech companies, while continuing R&D and forming strategic partnerships to accelerate progress in the field.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Late Stage VC
Total Funding
$101.2M
Headquarters
Berkeley, California
Founded
2018
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Cisco MOU on March 25, 2026 enables networked distributed quantum systems.
- NVIDIA NVQLink integration accelerates scaling to thousands of qubits.
- QuNorth €80M funds Magne deployment in Copenhagen by late 2026.
What critics are saying
- IonQ achieves fault tolerance first, causing customer defection in 6-12 months.
- NVIDIA shifts priorities, evaporating NVQLink gains in 12-24 months.
- Magne delays by late 2026 damage credibility and €80M investment.
What makes Atom Computing unique
- Atom Computing uses neutral atom qubits for massive scalability beyond 1,000 qubits.
- Neutral atoms enable room-temperature operation without electrical cables.
- Identical atoms provide high fidelity for fault-tolerant quantum computing.
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Your Connections
People at Atom Computing who can refer or advise you
Benefits
Health Insurance
Unlimited Paid Time Off
401(k) Company Match
Short- and Long-Term Disability
FSA
Dependent Care Benefits
Life Insurance
Drinks, snacks, and catered team lunches in our offices, every day!
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -3%1 year growth
↓ -3%2 year growth
↓ -6%Atom Computing has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Cisco to develop scalable, networked quantum computing systems by linking neutral-atom quantum computers through quantum networks. The collaboration will combine Cisco's quantum networking hardware and software with Atom Computing's neutral-atom quantum technology. The partnership will focus on integrating Atom Computing's hardware into Cisco's quantum networking infrastructure, extending Cisco's network-aware compiler to support distributed workloads, and investigating technologies to interface neutral-atom quantum processing units with Cisco's networking systems. Atom Computing, which has developed systems with over 1,000 qubits, says neutral-atom quantum computers are uniquely suited for modularity and scaling. The collaboration aims to advance distributed quantum computing architectures that connect multiple smaller processors rather than relying on single massive machines.
Atom Computing partners with Cisco to advance scalable, networked, and distributed quantum computing. March 25, 2026 Press play to listen to this content BOULDER, Colo., March 25, 2026 - Atom Computing today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Cisco to explore how neutral-atom quantum computers can be linked together through quantum networks to enable distributed quantum computing architectures. Under the terms of the MOU, Atom Computing and Cisco will collaborate to address critical challenges in distributed quantum computing, including physically linking neutral-atom quantum computers via quantum networks. By combining Cisco's quantum networking hardware, software, and expertise in networking protocols with Atom Computing's cutting-edge neutral-atom quantum hardware, the collaboration aims to accelerate the development of scalable, distributed quantum systems. "Neutral-atom quantum computers are uniquely suited for modularity and scaling," said Dr. Ben Bloom, CEO and Founder of Atom Computing. "By integrating them into advanced quantum networks, we can begin to realize architectures capable of supporting the next era of quantum applications." As part of the collaboration, Atom Computing and Cisco will evaluate opportunities to integrate Atom Computing's hardware into Cisco's quantum networking infrastructure and network-aware distributed quantum computing compiler, enabling more a tightly coupled full-stack distributed quantum platform. Areas of collaboration under the MOU include: * Software and Algorithms: Extending Cisco's network-aware distributed quantum computing compiler to support distributed workloads across neutral-atom systems. * Transduction and Hardware Integration: Jointly investigating technologies required to interface neutral-atom quantum processing units (QPUs) with Cisco's quantum networking systems, aligned with Cisco's broader quantum networking roadmap. "Scaling quantum computing to its full potential is a challenge the entire industry must tackle together," said Ramana Kompella, VP & Head of Cisco Research. "At Cisco, we believe the future of quantum lies in distributed systems that connect many smaller processors, instead of relying solely on a single massive machine. This collaboration with Atom Computing allows us to explore how advanced networking technologies can help turn that vision into reality." The MOU reflects the shared commitment of Cisco and Atom to advancing the global quantum ecosystem and driving progress toward utility-scale quantum computing. Additional details about the collaboration will be announced as the partnership evolves. About Atom Computing Atom Computing is developing large-scale quantum computers to enable companies and researchers to achieve unprecedented computational breakthroughs. Utilizing highly scalable arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms, the company has developed systems with over 1,000 qubits, featuring advanced capabilities towards fault-tolerant quantum computing. Atom Computing's on-premises systems provide customers with new computational tools and logical qubit capabilities to address increasingly complex applications and to grow their quantum ecosystem. March 25, 2026 - Ericsson and Forschungszentrum Jülich aim to push the boundaries of network performance... March 25, 2026 - Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Center for Artificial Intelligence Security Research (CAISER) is... March 25, 2026 - The High Performance Software Foundation community gathered in Chicago for HPSFCon 2026,... Custom hardware enables real-time error correction on 64-qubit Kaveri quantum processor, achieving a 'significant milestone'... Contributing to the early application of quantum computers in drug discovery and new material development... March 24, 2026 - The Computing Research Association (CRA) Board of Directors has selected Dan...
Kvantify collaborates with Atom Computing and Aarhus University on quantum Drug Discovery Research. March 17, 2026 Press play to listen to this content March 17, 2026 - Kvantify, Atom Computing, and the Department of Chemistry at Aarhus University have launched a joint project focused on advancing quantum computing methods for drug discovery. Innovation Fund Denmark is investing DKK 30 million (~US$4.63 million) in the effort. Pharmaceutical development remains constrained by low success rates, timelines that can span 10 to 15 years, and costs that often exceed DKK 15 billion per drug. Molecular simulation is a core component of drug discovery, and improving the accuracy of these methods is considered key to addressing these challenges. "With the potential to perform computations that are currently impossible, quantum computing offers a promising technological path forward for drug discovery. But to facilitate the impact, new accurate quantum-ingrained chemistry methods are required as the basis for hardware-optimized quantum algorithms," said Ove Christiansen, Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University. These methods must also be implemented in software that is accessible to industry specialists and can be integrated into existing workflows. Quantum Computers: Pushing the Boundaries of Molecular Simulation A key computational challenge in drug discovery is accurately predicting how strongly a candidate molecule binds to its target protein, known as binding affinity. The EarlyBIRDD project, supported by Innovation Fund Denmark, brings together an international consortium to address this problem. The effort focuses on advancing computational chemistry methods, co-developing quantum hardware and algorithms, and integrating these capabilities into practical software tools for pharmaceutical applications. "Molecular simulations are extremely hard for classical computers but naturally translate into the language of quantum computers," said Nikolaj Thomas Zinner, CSO and co-founder of Kvantify and project leader of EarlyBIRDD. "This makes computational chemistry a very promising place to look for first use cases of quantum computing with high business value." Potential to Reduce Industry Costs Advances in computer-assisted drug development are expected to reduce R&D costs, potentially by as much as 50%. The EarlyBIRDD project is intended to contribute to these efforts. Over the longer term, the initiative also aims to support economic activity by advancing the use of quantum computing in the pharmaceutical sector, which accounts for approximately 10% of Denmark's GDP. "Quantum computing hardware will remain in-development for years to come, but with the so-called early fault-tolerant quantum computers we are entering a regime where we expect to see industrial impact," Zinner said. "However, making an early bird tap into this imminent business potential requires dedicated co-development across the entire chain - from problem and method formulation to algorithm development, hardware implementation, and software integration." Collaboration Between Research, Technology, and Industry With support from Innovation Fund Denmark, the EarlyBIRDD project brings together Aarhus University's expertise in theoretical quantum chemistry, Kvantify's quantum software and algorithms, and Atom Computing's scalable quantum computing hardware into a single coordinated effort. To align development with industry needs, the consortium plans to engage stakeholders for input on software functionality and performance requirements, with support from the Alexandra Institute on user interface design. The project is expected to contribute to Denmark's position in quantum computing while supporting industry adoption of emerging technologies. Further Information Contact Project leader: Nikolaj Thomas Zinner, CSO & Co-founder, Kvantify ApS Mail: [email protected] Facts Innovation Fund Denmark's investment: DKK 30.0 million Total budget: DKK 37.7 million Duration: 4 years, starting April 2026 Official title: Early fault-tolerant quantum computing - Bringing Impact by Revolutionizing Drug Discovery (EarlyBIRDD). About Kvantify Kvantify is a Danish startup that develops software and algorithms coupling the speed and accuracy of quantum computers with the power of classical computing clouds with the goal of transforming molecular discovery. Incorporated in 2022, Kvantify now employs more than 40 specialists in quantum algorithms, chemistry, drug discovery, and computer science. About Atom Computing Atom Computing is a global leader in development of quantum computing hardware based on trapped neutral atoms. The company is based in Boulder, Colorado and employs more than 100 people. Atom Computing has recently set up an office in Copenhagen and will deliver the quantum computer Magne to be commissioned in Denmark in late 2026. About the Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University The Department of Chemistry at AU is home to one of the world's most advanced scientific communities in theoretical chemistry. Essential for the project, the department will contribute leading expertise on quantum chemistry and force-field development that will be a cornerstone for computational speed-ups and development of novel quantum algorithms. March 17, 2026 - The next step in the UK's plans for Quantum technology will help deliver personalized... NVIDIA CUDA-Q platform now available through PsiQuantum's software platform Construct and Workbench tool, accelerating large... WASHINGTON, March 17, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced funding to advance... MUNICH, March 17, 2026 - SimScale, the world's first AI-native cloud engineering simulation platform, has announced... BOULDER, Colo., March 17, 2026 - Atom Computing has announced the successful integration of NVIDIA... STUTTGART, Germany, March 17, 2026 - Q.ANT today announced the deployment of its second-generation photonic processors in...
Atom Computing integrates NVIDIA NVQLink to accelerate scaling of its Quantum Computers. March 17, 2026 Press play to listen to this content BOULDER, Colo., March 17, 2026 - Atom Computing has announced the successful integration of NVIDIA NVQLink - a low latency, high-bandwidth communication interface - into Atom Computing's proprietary control-systems stack. With NVQLink's ultra-low-latency data pathways, the company is unlocking new performance thresholds essential for next-generation quantum information processing. This enhanced architecture enables accelerated scaling of Atom Computing's high-performance logical-qubit systems while increasing logical cycle speeds. As part of the development effort, Atom Computing's team successfully implemented a fully integrated, end-to-end NVQLink workflow and completed comprehensive latency measurements validating the advantages of this architecture. These results demonstrate NVQLink as a promising technology for the company's scaling strategy. "Integration of NVIDIA NVQLink provides a boost to the speed and scalability of our quantum systems, strengthening our path toward utility-scale performance," said Dr. Ben Bloom, CEO and Founder of Atom Computing. "We're excited for the breakthroughs this architecture will enable as we advance the frontier of quantum computing." With NVQLink, Atom Computing will continue to pursue major advances in system scale, control fidelity, and quantum-error-correction throughput, including: * Large-scale routing and control of many thousands of qubits * Increased logical cycle speeds through accelerated syndrome extraction for quantum error correction * Deeper integration with the broader NVIDIA CUDA-Q ecosystem for hybrid quantum-classical supercomputing By adopting state-of-the-art technologies such as NVQLink into its QPU stack, Atom Computing continues to push the boundaries of practical quantum computation. These efforts directly support the company's mission to build and deliver utility-scale quantum computers, a mission highlighted by its Stage B participation in the DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative. About Atom Computing Atom Computing is developing large-scale quantum computers to enable companies and researchers to achieve unprecedented computational breakthroughs. Utilizing highly scalable arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms, the company has developed systems with over 1,000 qubits, featuring advanced capabilities towards fault-tolerant quantum computing. Atom Computing's on-premises systems provide customers with new computational tools and logical qubit capabilities to address increasingly complex applications and to grow their quantum ecosystem. QuNorth, a Nordic quantum initiative funded by EIFO and Novo Nordisk Foundation, recently announced the purchase of Atom Computing's on-premises system. The system, to be named 'Magne', will be installed and brought online in Copenhagen, Denmark. March 17, 2026 - The next step in the UK's plans for Quantum technology will help deliver personalized... WASHINGTON, March 17, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced funding to advance... MUNICH, March 17, 2026 - SimScale, the world's first AI-native cloud engineering simulation platform, has announced... STUTTGART, Germany, March 17, 2026 - Q.ANT today announced the deployment of its second-generation photonic processors in... ZURICH, ESPOO, Finland and SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 17, 2026 - IQM Quantum Computers and... BOSTON, March 17, 2026 - Qblox, a leading provider of open-architecture quantum control electronics, today announced that...
Kvantify, Atom Computing, and Aarhus University launch EarlyBIRDD project. A new interdisciplinary consortium consisting of Kvantify, Atom Computing, and Aarhus University (AU) Chemistry has launched the EarlyBIRDD project to accelerate the impact of quantum computing on drug discovery. Supported by a DKK 30 million ($4.625 million USD) investment from Innovation Fund Denmark, the four-year project (starting April 2026) aims to overcome the computational bottlenecks that contribute to the current 10-15 year timelines and DKK 15 billion ($2.3 billion USD) average costs of developing single new medicines. The initiative focuses on creating "quantum-ingrained" chemistry methods optimized for early fault-tolerant quantum hardware to provide the pharmaceutical industry with high-accuracy molecular simulations. The primary technical objective of the EarlyBIRDD project is to solve the binding affinity problem - the measurement of how strongly a candidate drug molecule binds to its target protein. While these simulations are currently difficult for classical computers, they translate naturally into the language of quantum processors. The consortium will co-develop hardware-optimized algorithms and integrate them into user-tailored software, potentially reducing pharmaceutical R&D costs by up to 50%. By involving industry stakeholders through a dedicated forum and collaborating with the Alexandra Institute on user interface development, the project ensures that these advanced tools can be integrated directly into existing commercial workflows. The collaboration leverages the complementary strengths of each partner: the AU Department of Chemistry provides expertise in theoretical quantum chemistry and force-field development; Kvantify develops the quantum software and algorithms; and Atom Computing provides scalable trapped neutral-atom hardware. Notably, Atom Computing is scheduled to commission its Magne quantum computer in Denmark in late 2026. This focused effort positions Denmark as a strategic hub in the global quantum competition, aiming to turn early fault-tolerant quantum systems into an innovation enabler for a pharmaceutical sector that represents 10% of Danish GDP. For full technical details on the consortium and the EarlyBIRDD roadmap, consult the official Kvantify announcement here. March 16, 2026