Architect the next generation of photonic AI systems . In this role, you will lead the integration of our photonic processors into complete computing platforms . You’ll own system‑level design and bring‑up for PCIe / SerDes / DDR‑based boards , including high‑speed digital design, signal & power integrity, mixed‑signal and PCB design in the GHz range. If you’ve led first‑pass bring‑up of complex processor‑based systems and want to work on photonic computing already running in production HPC environments, this role is for you .

Location: Stuttgart, Germany

Type: Full-time, hybrid (1-2 days remote work per week)

Level: Senior Fellow / Principal / Distinguished

Your Mission

The future of AI computing is light. Q.ANT is building photonic processing systems that compute with light - delivering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to transistor-based architectures for next-generation AI and HPC applications.

As Principal Hardware & System Integration Architect (High‑Speed Hardware) - Photonic AI Processors (f/m/d) , you will provide technical leadership for the definition, integration, and bring-up of complete processor-based photonic systems. You'll oversee system-level electrical design - both digital and analog - ensuring performance and signal integrity at GHz frequencies, while coordinating activities across processor design, board/system hardware, firmware, and validation teams.

What makes this role unique:

• High complexity: Integrating cutting-edge high-speed digital design (GHz-range interfaces, signal/power integrity) with novel photonic computing paradigms - an area with few industry precedents
• Strategic freedom: Broad autonomy in defining system architecture, design rules, and validation strategies, constrained only by high-level product and business objectives
• Decision authority: You are the primary decision-maker for system architecture trade-offs involving performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost

Your Impact & Responsibilities

Within your first 18-24 months, you will:

• Ensure first-pass success of complete processor-based photonic systems through expert oversight from architecture definition to lab validation
• Reduce development cycle time by anticipating and resolving cross-domain integration issues early, before they become costly bottlenecks
• Maintain system performance leadership through optimal integration of high-speed interfaces, analog subsystems, and processor core functions that deliver up to 30x energy efficiency vs. conventional systems
• Deliver a complete system definition that meets aggressive functional, performance, and manufacturability targets to maintain competitive advantage in the rapidly scaling photonic computing market

Key responsibilities:

Your Profile – our requirements

Education & Experience

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or related field; equivalent industry experience considered
• 15+ years of experience in high-performance system design and integration , including processor-based platforms
• Proven track record of first-pass bring-up success in complex, multi-domain systems

Deep technical Expertise in:

Leadership & Coordination Skills

• Exceptional ability to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams across digital, analog, firmware, and validation domains
• Skilled in resolving cross-domain technical challenges in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments
• Strong mentoring capability for senior technical staff
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex technical trade-offs to management and stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and their system-level integration requirements
• Experience with AI acceleration architectures and associated system-level challenges
• Knowledge of analog computing architectures or novel computing paradigms beyond traditional von Neumann systems
• Familiarity with optical interconnects and electro-optic integration
• Experience scaling systems from prototype to volume production

What We Offer

Why Q.ANT

Who we are and what we do:

Q.ANT is a photonic deep-tech scale-up developing photonic processing solutions that compute with light and deliver a scalable alternative to transistor-based systems.

Why now matters:

AI data centers are projected to consume 17% of US electricity by 2030. A single GPU now draws as much power as a kitchen oven. Traditional CMOS processors require 1,200 transistors for a simple 8-bit multiplication - Q.ANT's photonic chip does it with one optical element.

In July 2025, the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre became the world's first HPC facility to deploy photonic computing in production.This isn't research anymore - it's real, it's shipping, and it's redefining what's possible.

How to Apply

We're looking for someone who gets energized by the challenge of integrating cutting-edge photonics with high-speed digital systems - and who wants to see their work deployed in production systems that are already changing how the world computes.

Ready to architect the future of AI computing?

We are looking forward to receiving your application!

Q.ANT is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.