Superconducting IC Designer (Intermediate, Senior, or Staff)

About the role

D-Wave is seeking a Superconducting Integrated Circuit (IC) Designer to join our IC Design team, which builds the chips at the heart of our quantum computers. These chips are some of the most complex superconducting integrated circuits ever fabricated and require a sophisticated, customized Electronic Design Automation (EDA) toolchain.  

In this role, you will tackle challenging open-ended questions in the development of our superconducting qubit and integrated processor technology. You will work closely with the designers and scientists on the PD team across multiple major project areas, including:  

• Modeling, designing, and improving performance of devices on a superconducting quantum processor. These devices include Josephson junctions, SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference devices), SFQ (single flux quantum) gates, QFPs (quantum flux parametrons), resonators, qubits, and many others.  
• Using the EDA toolchain, identifying shortcomings, and conceiving and developing improvements.  
• Topological and parametric design of a variety of novel devices and/or device enhancements to improve processor performance or enable new capabilities.  
• Understanding the impact of the processor’s environment, including packaging, IO, electronics and cryogenic elements, and developing approaches to mitigate it.  

The IC Design team is part of the Processor Development (PD) group, which leads the advancement of our quantum computing hardware. Your work will directly impact our quantum processor architecture and its capabilities. If you’re passionate about design, complex systems, and collaborating across disciplines, we want to hear from you.  

What you'll do

• Create superconducting integrated circuit layouts 
• Understand, predict, and design the behaviour of superconducting devices 
• Verify designs for correctness and manufacturability 
• Document IC designs, communicate with colleagues about them 
• Use analytical or numerical models and simulations to represent and understand devices 
• Work with custom software infrastructure for superconducting IC design 
• Debug challenging technical issues that arise in your own work or those of colleagues 

About You

• Post-secondary degree in electronic engineering, physics, computer science, or a closely related field. 
• IC design experience in an R&D environment, including some analog or rf design experience. 
• Understanding of applied electromagnetic theory. 
• Strong programming skills, including demonstrated ability to collaborate on codebases 
• Strong problem-solving skills and persistence in the face of technical challenges; ability to apply these skills broadly in many different contexts 
• Excellent communication skills in talking to experts and non-experts alike 

Requirements

Please note that we are hiring across multiple career stages based on individual skills and proficiencies related to these requirements:

Intermediate (II):   At the Intermediate level, you will build technical proficiency, become familiar with our superconducting IC design process, and contribute to well-scoped projects under regular guidance. You will:  

• Contribute to IC designs by doing modeling, layout, and verification. 
• Receive frequent mentorship and feedback from colleagues. 
• Grow your understanding of superconducting IC design and quantum hardware. 

You’ll bring:  

• A graduate degree with relevant specialization, 0-2 years of relevant experience, or
• A bachelor’s degree, 2-4 years of relevant experience. 
• Academic or industry exposure to IC design. 

Senior:   At the Senior level, you will lead substantial development efforts, developing new and existing IC designs. You’ll use multiple EDA tools and work across multiple teams and projects with increasing independence. Y ou will:  

• Take ownership of medium to large IC design projects. 
• Identify limitations of current designs and propose technical solutions. 
• Provide mentorship to junior colleagues and collaborate across domains. 

You’ll bring:  

• All qualifications of the Intermediate level. 
• 3+ additional years of experience (can include relevant graduate research). 
• Proven ability to work across multiple design libraries, programming languages, and codebases. 
• Demonstrated impact on IC design in a professional setting. 
• Applied understanding of algorithm complexity, EM simulation, or EDA systems. 

Staff :   At the Staff level, you will act as a domain expert and technical leader, shaping how IC design supports our evolving quantum hardware. You’ll be expected to lead technically, influence organization direction, and mentor others.   You will:  

• Drive strategic improvements in IC designs as technology and requirements evolve. 
• Identify and resolve architectural or systemic limitations in our designs. 
• Set direction on design development and processes, balancing technical and project constraints. 
• Mentor across teams and provide deep technical leadership. 

You’ll bring:  

• All qualifications of the Senior level, plus deeper experience and impact. 
• Proven leadership of IC designs at scale. 
• Applied knowledge of superconducting devices and circuits. 
• Applied knowledge of the electromagnetism of superconductors in an IC design context. 
• Experience developing and optimizing large IC designs with complex resource requirements. 
• A track record of mentorship and team leadership in highly technical environments.

A D-Waver's DNA

• We look at the future and say “why not”; we see possibilities where others see problems or routines. We show the way ahead and are committed to achieving ambitious goals.
• We practice straight talk and listen generously to each other with empathy. We value different opinions and points of views. We ensure that we connect outside as well as inside to learn from others and inspire each other.
• We hold ourselves accountable for delivering results. We make decisions & take responsibility so that we can act & support each other.
• As leaders we motivate & engage our teams to undertake beyond what they originally thought possible, by developing our teams & creating the conditions for people to grow and empower themselves through enabling & coaching.

Our Compensation Philosophy is Simple but Powerful:

We believe providing D-Wavers with company ownership, competitive pay, and a range of meaningful benefits is the start of creating a culture where people want to give the best they’ve got — not because they’re simply making money, but because they’ve fallen in love with our vision, mission, values, and team. 

During the interview process, your Recruiter will review our total rewards (base, equity, bonus, perks, benefit, culture) offerings. The final offer is determined by your proficiencies within this level.   

Inclusion: 

We celebrate diverse perspectives to drive innovation in our pursuit. Our employees range from distinguished domain experts with decades of experience in their respective fields, to bright and motivated graduates eager to make their mark. Our diverse and innovative team will make you feel appreciated, supported and empower your career growth at D-Wave.

The Fine Print: 

No 3rd party candidates will be accepted

It is D-Wave Systems Inc. policy to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, local law.  

The base pay range for this role is determined by your proficiency within the aligned level:

• Intermediate: 90,182 - 135,273 CAD per year (Burnaby)
• Senior: 107,636 - 161,455 CAD per year (Burnaby)
• Staff: 127,273 - 190,909 CAD per year (Burnaby)