Director, Compute Platforms & AI at PsiQuantum in Milpitas, CA

PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems. Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries. Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries—we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale. PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact. Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real. Come join us. Job Summary: We are seeking an experienced and hands-on Director to lead the strategy, architecture, and operational excellence of compute platforms across cloud, on-premises, and high-performance computing (HPC) environments. This role owns the direction and evolution of infrastructure supporting modern workloads, including distributed systems, development infrastructure, observability, and the practical adoption of generative AI capabilities across the organization. Reporting to the Chief Information & Security Officer, this individual will serve as the senior technical leader for compute and AI within IT. The ideal candidate brings deep cross-domain expertise, strong operational judgment, and a track record of building, scaling, and stabilizing complex systems. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on technical engagement and cross-functional influence, enabling both current operations and future capabilities. Responsibilities: Define and drive the strategy and architecture for compute platforms spanning AWS, Azure, and on-prem/HPC environments, including GPU-accelerated systems. Lead the evaluation and adoption of generative AI tools, identifying high-impact opportunities across engineering, IT, and business workflows. Partner with stakeholders to pilot and scale practical generative AI use cases, focusing on productivity, automation, and workflow improvement. Oversee and improve core cloud and HPC capabilities, including development infrastructure, observability, and overall system reliability. Drive performance optimization, capacity planning, and operational excellence in collaboration with cross-functional stakeholders. Lead resolution of complex system issues, including root-cause analysis and long-term remediation. Establish and enforce infrastructure standards, best practices, and technical direction across teams. Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and guidance to engineers and technical leads; build and scale a high-performing team as needed. Experience/Qualifications: 10+ years of experience designing, building, and operating complex infrastructure systems across cloud and/or on-prem environments. Strong experience with development infrastructure, including CI/CD systems, artifact management, and developer workflows. Deep experience with observability systems, including metrics, logging, tracing, and alerting. Experience evaluating and implementing generative AI tools (e.g., LLM-based systems, copilots, automation agents) in real-world environments. Strong understanding of the operational, security, and cost considerations of generative AI adoption in an enterprise setting. Deep systems-level expertise in Linux, networking, storage, and distributed systems. Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical initiatives and drive outcomes across teams. Track record of building and leading high-performing teams in demanding environments. Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence both technical and executive stakeholders. 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 the Bay Area (within 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto), the second one (if applicable) is for elsewhere in the US (beyond 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto). If there is only one range, it is for the specific location of where the position will be located.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. U.S. Base Pay Range $185,000—$215,000 USD Bay Area Pay Range $215,000—$255,000 USD