Job postings

Vacancy: Embedded Software Engineer

KEY DETAILS

Role: Embedded Software Engineer
Location: Leiden, with occasional travel to Enschede; some hybrid working possible
Hours: Full-time
Start: As soon as possible
Apply by: Open until filled

THE ROLE

You’ll build the software and firmware that turns our photonic PUF chips into a working authentication system. You own the challenge-response protocol from readout through to decision, and build the interfaces that let our authentication layer work with partner systems such as quantum key distribution hardware.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

  • Develop firmware for PUF readout: challenge generation, optical measurement control and response digitisation
  • Implement the challenge-response authentication protocol: enrolment, verification and decision logic
  • Develop error-correction and helper-data algorithms for stable key extraction under real-world conditions
  • Design and build integration APIs for partner systems, such as external quantum key distribution stacks
  • Lead interoperability testing and validation of the combined system, including long-duration and security testing
  • Document software architecture and test results for product development and project reporting

WHAT YOU BRING

  • An MSc in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics or a related field
  • Strong Python and/or C(++) skills, with real experience controlling hardware (instrumentation, FPGAs or embedded systems)
  • Comfort working close to the metal: signal digitisation, timing and low-level protocol implementation
  • Experience designing and documenting APIs, ideally for integration with external partners or systems
  • An independent, hands-on and entrepreneurial way of working

NICE TO HAVE

  • Experience with error-correcting codes or helper-data schemes (e.g. from PUF or biometric key extraction)
  • FPGA or RFSoC development experience
  • Exposure to cryptographic protocols or formal security analysis

WHAT WE OFFER

  • The chance to shape the software architecture of our authentication technology from day one
  • Direct impact in a growing deeptech spin-out
  • A high degree of independence and room for initiative
  • Collaboration with research institutes and industrial partners

ABOUT QSA TECHNOLOGY

QSA Technology is a University of Twente spin-out developing photonic chips that give optical and quantum communication networks an identity that can’t be copied. Read more about our story and team on our About page.

HOW TO APPLY

Send your CV and a short motivation to career@qsatechnology.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Download the full vacancy here: Vacancy_Embedded_Software_Engineer (PDF)

Vacancy: Electronics & Systems Integration Engineer

KEY DETAILS

Role: Electronics & Systems Integration Engineer
Location: Leiden, with occasional travel to Enschede; some hybrid working possible
Hours: Full-time
Start: As soon as possible
Apply by: Open until filled

THE ROLE

You’ll own the full electrical signal chain around our photonic PUF chips: from the drive electronics that generate challenges, through the timing circuits that keep everything synchronised, to the readout electronics that digitise responses. You’re the bridge between our photonic chips and the rest of the system, and over time you’ll help us bring more of our system integration in-house.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

  • Design and build the challenge-preparation (drive) electronics for the PUF module
  • Design timing circuits that synchronise challenge generation and response digitisation, and eventually partner QKD timing domains
  • Design readout electronics: photodetector front-ends, amplifiers and digitisers
  • Develop FPGA-based driver and controller electronics as our technology develops
  • Support the integration of validated subsystems into a robust system
  • Document designs and test results for product development and project reporting

WHAT YOU BRING

  • An MSc in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics or a related field
  • Experience with FPGA and embedded electronics design (VHDL/Verilog or high-level synthesis)
  • Experience taking lab-bench electronics to a more robust, deployable form
  • Comfortable working directly with optical hardware and timing-sensitive signal chains
  • An independent, hands-on and entrepreneurial way of working

NICE TO HAVE

  • RF or high-speed signal experience
  • EMC or product-hardening and compliance experience
  • A background in quantum or photonics instrumentation

WHAT WE OFFER

  • The chance to own the electrical heart of our authentication hardware from the ground up
  • Direct impact in a growing deeptech spin-out
  • A high degree of independence and room for initiative
  • Collaboration with research institutes and industrial partners

ABOUT QSA TECHNOLOGY

QSA Technology is a University of Twente spin-out developing photonic chips that give optical and quantum communication networks an identity that can’t be copied. Read more about our story and team on our About page.

HOW TO APPLY

Send your CV and a short motivation to career@qsatechnology.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Download the full vacancy here: Vacancy_Electronics_and_Systems_Integration_Engineer (PDF)

Vacancy: Business Developer

KEY DETAILS

Role: Business Developer
Location: Enschede or Leiden, with hybrid working possible
Hours: Full-time
Start: As soon as possible
Apply by: Open until filled

THE ROLE

You’ll be the link between a warm lead and a signed contract. Working closely with our CEO, you take the relationships and pilot engagements she builds and turn them into structured proposals, negotiated terms and closed deals, freeing her to focus on new partnerships and fundraising.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

  • Own the conversion of pilot engagements and warm leads into proposals and signed contracts
  • Manage the commercial process around pilot customers and early OEM licensing conversations: proposals, negotiation and contract logistics
  • Keep the commercial pipeline moving from first contact to closed deal
  • Support dissemination and exploitation activities in our subsidy-funded projects where they touch the commercial process
  • Document the commercial process and pipeline status for company and project reporting

WHAT YOU BRING

  • Proven experience in B2B business development or sales, with a track record in closing deals and negotiation
  • Comfort holding a credible technical conversation, with support from our technical team; no deep technical background needed
  • An independent, self-directed way of working that keeps deals moving without constant oversight
  • Enthusiasm for working in a spin-out, with the freedom and responsibility that come with it

NICE TO HAVE

  • Experience in telecom, photonics, quantum technology or critical-infrastructure security
  • Experience with commercial processes in grant-funded or consortium projects

WHAT WE OFFER

  • The chance to build our commercial process from the ground up
  • Direct impact in a growing deeptech spin-out
  • A high degree of independence and room for initiative
  • Collaboration with research institutes and industrial partners

ABOUT QSA TECHNOLOGY

QSA Technology is a University of Twente spin-out developing photonic chips that give optical and quantum communication networks an identity that can’t be copied. Read more about our story and team on our About page.

HOW TO APPLY

Send your CV and a short motivation to career@qsatechnology.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Download the full vacancy here: Vacancy_Business_Development (PDF)

Vacancy: Optical Engineer

KEY DETAILS

Role: Optical Engineer
Location: Leiden, with occasional travel to Enschede; some hybrid working possible
Hours: Full-time
Start: As soon as possible
Apply by: Open until filled

THE ROLE

You’ll be the systems-level bridge in our technical team, connecting our hands-on optical lab work with the software and electronics that turn photonic chips into a working authentication system. Your background in quantum communication or telecom systems complements the team’s photonics and experimental strengths, and helps us make the architecture-level calls (detection scheme, channel sharing, readout strategy) that determine whether our chips work as a system, not just as components.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

  • Analyse photonic PUF response data with statistical and machine-learning methods: uniqueness, reproducibility and resistance to modelling attacks
  • Contribute to the system architecture: optical channel sharing, interface definitions and integration with partner QKD systems
  • Evaluate architecture-level trade-offs, such as coherent detection versus single-photon counting, and advise on the right choice for each deployment scenario
  • Support experimental research on readout techniques, together with academic partners
  • Translate optical results into requirements for software and electronics, and system requirements back into optical design guidance
  • Document analyses and design decisions for product development and project reporting

WHAT YOU BRING

  • An MSc or PhD in Physics, Photonics, Quantum Information or Electrical Engineering
  • A background in quantum communication or optical telecom systems (e.g. QKD, DWDM, coherent detection)
  • Strong computational skills in signal processing and statistics, coding in Python
  • Confidence working with experimental data and turning it into system-level insight
  • An independent, hands-on and entrepreneurial way of working

NICE TO HAVE

  • Machine-learning experience, particularly applied to physical or hardware security
  • Familiarity with photonic PUFs or hardware authentication
  • Optical simulation experience (e.g. Lumerical, tidy3D)

WHAT WE OFFER

  • The chance to shape the system-level architecture of our authentication technology from an early stage
  • Direct impact in a growing deeptech spin-out
  • A high degree of independence and room for initiative
  • Collaboration with research institutes and industrial partners

ABOUT QSA TECHNOLOGY

QSA Technology is a University of Twente spin-out developing photonic chips that give optical and quantum communication networks an identity that can’t be copied. Read more about our story and team on our About page.

HOW TO APPLY

Send your CV and a short motivation to career@qsatechnology.com. We’d love to hear from you.

Download the full vacancy here: Vacancy_Optical_Engineer (PDF)