FPGA Engineer

Your mission

At planqc, we are building scalable quantum computers based on neutral atoms, one of the most promising architectures for achieving real-world quantum advantage.

As an FPGA Engineer, you will be part of our Electrical Engineering team, developing high-performance control systems at the core of our quantum computing platform. Your work will focus on designing and implementing real-time FPGA-based systems that enable precise control and readout of individual atoms with nanosecond accuracy.

Working closely with quantum hardware and software teams, you will translate complex experimental requirements into robust, scalable firmware solutions. Your contributions will be critical in advancing system performance, stability, and scalability, enabling the next generation of quantum algorithms and applications.

This role is ideal for engineers who enjoy working at the intersection of hardware, firmware, and cutting-edge physics.

Your Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize FPGA-based control and data acquisition systems for quantum computing applications
• Develop synthesizable modules in SystemVerilog, Verilog, or VHDL for real-time signal generation and acquisition
• Implement high-speed interfaces for ADC/DAC systems and ensure reliable data throughput
• Integrate high-performance vision interfaces (e.g. CameraLink, CoaXpress, HDMI/DisplayPort)
• Develop and maintain testbenches and simulation environments (e.g. SystemVerilog, cocotb, Python)
• Co-design firmware and software interfaces for SoC architectures (PS-PL communication)
• Design robust clocking, synchronization, and trigger architectures across multiple boards
• Collaborate closely with physicists, hardware engineers, and software teams to ensure seamless system integration
• Contribute to system architecture decisions and continuous performance improvements
  
  

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field

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• 3+ years of FPGA development experience (or equivalent experience with an advanced degree)
• Strong proficiency in SystemVerilog, Verilog, or VHDL and experience with functional verification
• Solid understanding of timing closure and static timing analysis across multiple clock domains
• Experience working on projects involving signal processing, image processing, or control systems
• Strong knowledge of AXI protocols (AXI4, AXI-Stream, AXI-Lite)
• Experience developing firmware on SoCs (e.g. ARM, RISC-V, or similar architectures)
• Ability to collaborate effectively in interdisciplinary teams, especially with experimental physicists
  
  

Nice to have

• Experience with high-bandwidth (>1 GSPS) ADC/DAC systems
• Experience with high-speed camera acquisition and in-memory image processing
• Hands-on experience with Xilinx SoCs and toolchains (Vivado, Vitis/SDK)
• Experience with embedded Linux systems (Yocto, PetaLinux)
• Background in real-time systems or low-latency architectures
• Experience in laboratory environments or experimental setups
• Familiarity with quantum computing or AMO physics
  
  

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What Characterizes You

• You enjoy solving complex technical challenges at the intersection of hardware and software
• You take ownership of your work and drive topics from concept to implementation
• You have a structured, detail-oriented approach to engineering
• You are curious and motivated to work on cutting-edge technology
• You thrive in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments
  
  

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 quantum systems from day one
• Collaborating with an exceptional, international team across disciplines
• Contributing to a fast-growing quantum startup at a pivotal stage
  
  

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Benefits at planqc

• Flexible working. Flexible hours and hybrid work where the role allows.
• Company pension. Betriebliche Altersvorsorge with an employer contribution.
• Health and fitness. EGYM Wellpass for gyms, pools and studios, plus regular Health Days.
• Job bike. Lease a bike through planqc.
• Learning and development. Trainings and conference participation, including international conferences. Plus regular internal learning sessions where colleagues share their knowledge.
• Relocation and visa support. Practical support for international hires and their move to Germany or Austria.
• Four locations. Headquarters in Garching, an office in central Munich, plus sites in Ulm and Innsbruck.
• Team culture. Regular team and company events throughout the year, from after work socials to our summer and Christmas parties.
  
  

If you’re excited about building real-time systems that control quantum computers at the most fundamental level, 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 a company where people take ownership, learn from each other, and directly shape the systems we bring into operation.