NPS Architect (m/f/d)

Your mission

The future of AI computing is light, not electrons.
At Q.ANT, we are building photonic processing systems that compute with light—delivering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to transistor-based architectures for next-generation AI and high-performance computing.
As NPS Architect, within our Operations team, you will operate at the intersection of deep engineering execution and forward-looking platform architecture. You will take ownership of designing, building, and evolving our Native Processing Server (NPS) platform—from prototype construction and hardware evaluation to scaling strategies and deployment concepts. Hands-on with hardware and systems, you don't just specify architectures, you build, test, and validate them, directly shaping how our photonic technology reaches production and field environments.


Your Impact & Responsibilities

• Define and own the NPS platform architecture and platform roadmap, driving the evolution of server concepts, hardware selection, and deployment models
• Drive end-to-end technical execution, including prototype construction, hardware bring-up, system configuration, thermal/power validation, and maintenance concepts
• Optimize system density, performance, and manufactur ability by collaborating closely with teams from hardware engineering, NPU development as well as NPU production, to ensure seamless integration and service ability
• Establish scalable installation and deployment processes, collaborating with cloud/hosting partners and enterprise data center environments
• Support Field Application Engineering (FAE) with deep architectural expertise during complex customer deployments and integration phases
• Drive platform innovation and continuous improvement, translating real-world engineering learnings and market requirements into actionable platform features
• Align platform strategy and priorities with the Director of Operations, product management, and cross-functional engineering teams

Your profile

• Education: M.Sc. in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field
• Experience: 5+ years of hands-on experience in IT architecture, HPC, or enterprise IT infrastructure
• Technical Mastery: Deep understanding of server technologies, data center operations, cluster computing, high-density server design, power/cooling constraints, and hardware deployment
• Hands-on Execution: Proven track record in prototype build, hardware bring-up, system validation, and server installations (OS, networking, low-level configuration)
• Product & Customer Orientation: Experience in product ownership/lead technical roles, alongside exposure to technical sales, consulting, or field deployment support
• Software & AI Skills: Familiarity with software development processes, AI workloads, or system integration (a strong plus)
• Languages: Fluent in English; proficiency in German or another European language is a plus

Why us?

• Work on the leading edge: Photonic AI acceleration technologies that will define the next decade of computing - already validatedin production HPC environments
• Make impact at scale: Help solve one of computing's biggest challenges - making growing demand in compute and sustainability go hand in hand
• Own your work from day one: Broad autonomy and decision authority with direct impact on product success and the future of AI infrastructure
• Fast-track your growth: Work on challenges with few industry precedents - every problem you solve becomes new institutional knowledge and potentially industry-defining IP
• World- class team: Collaborate alongside a passionate, international, cross-functional team of experts in photonics, processor design, and AI systems
• Direct access to leadership: Work closely with the company’s founders, including CEO Dr. Michael Förtsch, and the Q.ANT senior leadership team
• Collaborative culture: Innovative work environment that values technical excellence, open communication, and pragmatic problem-solving
• Be part of history: Join at the inflection point where photonic computing transitions from research to mainstream - your contributions will shape this transformation

About us

Who we are and what we doQ.ANT is a deep-tech scale-up developing photonic processing solutions that compute natively with light and deliver a scalable alternative to transistor-based systems. The analog co-processors are optimised for complex computations and enable energy-efficient performance for next-generation AI and HPC applications. In collaboration with the Institute for Microelectronics Stuttgart IMS CHIPS, Q.ANT operates its own pilot line for photonic chips, based on the material system Thin-Film Lithium Niobate TFLN. Q.ANT was founded by Michael Förtsch in 2018 and is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.