Senior Software QA Engineer

Quantum computing holds the promise of humanity's mastery over the natural world, but only if we can build a real quantum computer. PsiQuantum is on a mission to build the first real, useful quantum computers, capable of delivering the world-changing applications that the technology has long promised. We know that means we will need to build a system with roughly 1 million qubits that supports fault tolerant error correction within a scalable architecture, and a data center footprint.

By harnessing the laws of quantum physics, quantum computers can provide exponential performance increases over today's most powerful supercomputers, offering the potential for extraordinary advances across a broad range of industries including climate, energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials design, and many more.

PsiQuantum has determined the fastest path to delivering a useful quantum computer, years earlier than the rest of the industry. Our architecture is based on silicon photonics which gives us the ability to produce our components at Tier-1 semiconductor fabs such as GlobalFoundries where we leverage high-volume semiconductor manufacturing processes, the same processes that are already producing billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics applications. We also benefit from the quantum mechanics reality that photons don't feel heat or electromagnetic interference, allowing us to take advantage of existing cryogenic cooling systems and industry standard fiber connectivity.

In 2024, PsiQuantum announced two government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first Quantum Data Centers and utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia and Chicago, Illinois. Both projects are backed by nations that understand quantum computing's potential impact and the need to scale this technology to unlock that potential. And we won't just be building the hardware, but also the fault tolerant quantum applications that will provide industry-transforming results.

Quantum computing is not just an evolution of the decades-old advancement in compute power. It provides the key to mastering our future, not merely discovering it. The potential is enormous, and we have the plan to make it real. Come join us.

There's much more work to be done and we are looking for exceptional talent to join us on this extraordinary journey!

Team Overview

PsiQuantum's Applications Software Engineering Team (ASET) is dedicated to creating a software environment where quantum application developers can discover, build, utilize, optimize, and visualize large-scale quantum algorithms for classically intractable problems. As we continue to scale, we're building out a QA function that bridges classical software QA best practices with cutting-edge quantum software development.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Senior Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer with strong technical skills and business awareness to establish our test automation practice. You'll take our Playwright-based testing PoC to production, building frameworks and tooling that enable our development teams to own quality long-term.

This is a hands-on IC role reporting to the Director of Engineering, working across our Application Software Engineering Team (ASET) which includes our Construct platform crew and REx module crew. You'll spend 80% of your time building test automation infrastructure and frameworks, and 20% coordinating testing efforts, triaging results, and providing quality metrics to leadership. You'll work autonomously, influence without authority, and have significant impact on our product quality as we approach our general availability launch.

Responsibilities :

Test Automation and Integration Frameworks

Test Framework & Infrastructure : Design and build test automation frameworks (using tools like pytest, Playwright, Robot) that enable developers to own and maintain their own tests. Focus on creating scalable, maintainable infrastructure rather than writing every test yourself-think framework builder, not test author.

Test Development Mentor : Write initial automated test scripts (e.g., Playwright for UI, pytest for APIs) that demonstrate best practices and serve as templates for developers to follow. These examples help others adopt the frameworks you build, but you won't be writing all tests long-term.

Rapid Implementation : Take existing test automation PoCs to production-ready CI / CD integration within the first 60 days, delivering automated critical user journeys with clear reporting and retry logic.

Cross-Functional Collaboration : Work with product, platform engineers and quantum domain experts to develop integration, functional, and system tests in a highly technical environment-potentially involving HPC or containerized infrastructure.

Define and Enhance QA Strategy

Improve QA Processes : Develop quality touchpoints and metrics within the software development lifecycle (SDLC), including defining key quality metrics (e.g., defect density, coverage, mean time to detect / fix).

Integrate test automation in CI / CD : Partner with platform engineers to embed test automation into GitLab CI / CD pipelines, ensuring automated execution, clear reporting, and fast feedback on every merge request.

Performance, Scalability, and System Testing

Performance & Scalability : Define performance benchmarks, stress-testing protocols, and scalability testing strategies for large-scale or domain-specific workloads (quantum simulations, HPC, etc.).

System End-to-End Testing : Over time, build test automation to validate an increasing volume of the software ecosystem, from front-end interfaces to back-end computational layers.

Continuous Improvement & Agile Coordination

Iterative Development : Collaborate with development teams who follow agile development techniques, increasing quality by helping the team refine goals and scope each sprint.

Multi-Team Coordination : Work across multiple product teams (platform and feature teams) as a QA partner to all, balancing priorities and delivering value to different stakeholders simultaneously

Quality Reporting and Metrics : Generate executive-level quality reports and dashboards that provide visibility into test coverage, defect trends, and release readiness. Translate testing results into actionable insights for both engineering teams and leadership.

Required Experience / Qualifications :

8+ years in QA experience : Experience in hands-on manual testing and test automation development with frameworks like Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright.

4+ Years as a Senior QA Engineer or QA Lead : Experience establishing quality practices in full-stack, highly technical environments. Comfortable presenting quality metrics to leadership, collaborating with product teams, and understanding business objectives-without necessarily managing direct reports.

Proven QA Strategy & Automation Track Record : A history of establishing scalable QA processes, implementing test automation frameworks, and integrating test automation in CI / CD pipelines.

Cross-Functional Collaboration : Demonstrated success working within cross-disciplinary teams, with the ability to translate classical testing methods into domain-specific contexts.

Software Engineering Foundations : Solid understanding of software engineering principles (OOP, version control, branching strategies) and proficiency in scripting languages (e.g., Python).

Front-End & Back-End Testing : Experience testing web UIs, REST APIs, microservices, data validation, and output verification.

Complex Systems & R&D : Comfortable operating in a research-oriented or emerging technology setting, adapting QA processes to novel and sometimes ambiguous requirements.

Bachelor's Degree : In Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

Bonus / Preferred

Quantum Domain Exposure : Familiarity with quantum software tools, frameworks, and SDKs (e.g., Qiskit, Cirq), or a willingness to learn and adapt best practices for quantum systems.

AI-Driven QA : Experience with AI / ML-driven test automation tools (e.g., Applitools, Testim.io, Sealights) to enhance test generation, predictive analytics for flaky tests, or adaptive test maintenance in complex systems.

Startup or Early-Stage Experience : Background in fast-paced environments where you've taken ideas from PoC to production quickly, worked across multiple teams simultaneously, and balanced building infrastructure with delivering immediate value.

HPC or Large-Scale Testing : Experience with HPC cluster testing, container orchestration (Docker / Kubernetes), or large-scale performance testing is a plus.

Agile / Scrum Experience : Background in establishing QA practices within agile teams.

DevOps Processes : Experience with CI / CD platforms (e.g., Gitlab, GitHub Actions) or cloud-based testing (AWS / Azure / GCP).

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Note : PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to recruiting@psiquantum.com .

We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.

The ranges below reflect the target ranges for a new hire base salary. One is for Chicago, Illinois, the second one (if applicable) is for elsewhere in the US (beyond 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto). Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's qualifications including relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Base pay is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Chicago, Illinois Pay Range

$110,000 — $130,000 USD

U.S. Pay Range

$110,000 — $130,000 USD