a16z Network & Infrastructure Engineer
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About Us
At Rigetti, our mission is to build the world’s most powerful computers to solve the world’s most challenging problems. Rigetti is a pioneer in superconducting Qubits and full stack quantum computing systems. In addition to introducing the first multi-chip quantum processor, Rigetti has led the way in software systems for quantum computing, with a distributed operating environment for hybrid quantum-classical computing, and a state-of-the-art streaming characterization and measurement development and execution platform
Role Overview
We're hiring a Network & Infrastructure Engineer to own hands-on networking and physical infrastructure work across our Berkeley and Fremont sites, including our fabrication facility and quantum labs, while also supporting our AWS cloud environment and infrastructure-as-code practices. This is a hybrid role by design: the person in this seat is expected to flex between traditional network/data center work and cloud infrastructure/DevOps work as priorities shift.
Our network is unusually complex for a company our size: an AWS-backed cloud platform, redundant connectivity, a fabrication facility with its own segmented security environments, and labs full of specialized equipment. We're expanding lab and fab space and scaling up our fleet of quantum systems, so you'll be building new infrastructure, not just maintaining what's here. This is a local role with no additional travel required.
The ideal candidate brings deep, hands-on expertise in on-site networking and infrastructure and real capability in AWS, infrastructure-as-code, and Kubernetes. That combination lets this person understand requirements from both sides and translate between them without a hand-off. In practice, we recognize this level of dual expertise is hard to find, and we're glad to hire a strong candidate who is expert in networking and physical infrastructure and self-sufficient in cloud and DevOps, requiring only light direction.
Role and Responsibilities
Networking & Physical Infrastructure
- Own the network across our Berkeley labs and Fremont fab, including routing and connectivity into secured fabrication environments – and bring networking, hardware, and IT infrastructure together into one documented, consistent process
- Install, rack, cable, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot physical servers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, storage, and related infrastructure equipment.
- Support IT and Infrastructure with cable management, hardware maintenance, upgrades, and software configuration.
- Provide hands-on infrastructure support at both the Berkeley and Fremont locations.
- Support troubleshooting and resolution of network issues, including connectivity, hardware, software, cabling, and routing.
- Support planned maintenance, upgrades, and changes to network infrastructure.
- Design and stand up network infrastructure for new lab, fab, and system buildouts as we scale.
- Complete cleanroom training as needed (will be provided) to support infrastructure inside fabrication environments.
- Handle occasional overnight maintenance windows (roughly quarterly) and on-call rotations for emergency on-site support.
Cloud Infrastructure & DevOps
- Assist with planning and execution of current and future infrastructure needs across on-premise and cloud (AWS) environments.
- Provide support for the creation, maintenance, upgrade, and troubleshooting of cloud and on-premise infrastructure resources following best practices.
- Assist with building, configuring, and maintaining servers or virtual machines, both on-premise and in the cloud.
- Apply Infrastructure-as-Code practices (Terraform, Ansible, or similar) to provision and manage infrastructure repeatably.
- Support CI/CD pipelines and automation workflows that touch infrastructure delivery.
- Support containerized workloads (Kubernetes/Docker) where they intersect with infrastructure provisioning and networking.
General
- Follow detailed internal procedures to ensure work is performed accurately, consistently, and safely.
- Flex between network/physical infrastructure work and cloud/DevOps work based on shifting business priorities — this role is not siloed to one discipline.
- Growth area (nice-to-have, not required): as expertise develops, recommend purchase orders, work directly with vendors, and help guide technical requirements for infrastructure buildouts.
Required Qualifications
Networking & Physical Infrastructure
- 5–8+ years of hands-on experience with physical infrastructure such as servers, racks, switches, patch panels, cabling, PDUs, and related data center or lab hardware.
- 5–8+ years of experience with networking concepts and troubleshooting, including TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing, switching, firewalls, and network security principles.
- 5+ years of experience working with Arista, Cisco, Palo Alto, Meraki, Raritan, APC, or similar networking and infrastructure platforms.
- Experience installing, configuring, upgrading, or troubleshooting physical servers, network devices, or infrastructure systems.
- Ability to work on-site and provide physical infrastructure support at both Berkeley and Fremont locations.
- Must be able to lift and carry IT equipment up to 50 lbs (approximately 22.6 kg).
Cloud & DevOps
- Hands-on experience working with AWS or cloud infrastructure, including provisioning, maintaining, or troubleshooting cloud-based resources.
- Hands-on experience with Terraform, Ansible, or other Infrastructure-as-Code / automation tools — expert-level fluency is ideal, and working proficiency is the minimum bar.
- Working knowledge of Kubernetes, Docker, or containerized infrastructure; deeper hands-on experience is a strong plus.
- Experience with Linux systems administration.
- Experience with VMware, Proxmox, Hyper-V, or other virtualization platforms.
General
- Strong troubleshooting skills across hardware, network, operating system, and cloud layers.
- Ability to follow detailed standard operating procedures, safety protocols, change-management processes, and technical documentation.
Preferred Qualifications
- CCNA, CompTIA Network+, AWS certification, or equivalent practical experience.
- Experience with load balancers, firewalls, VPNs, wireless networks, and network monitoring tools.
- Experience building or maintaining CI/CD pipelines end-to-end, beyond basic familiarity.
- Experience working in a data center, lab, manufacturing, semiconductor, research, or cleanroom environment.
- Experience supporting new office, lab, data center, or building infrastructure buildouts.
- Familiarity with structured cabling, fiber optics, copper Ethernet, patch panels, cable testing, and rack documentation.
- Experience designing or running segmented, high-security network environments.
- Experience managing networks for large fleets of devices – IoT, lab instrumentation, or manufacturing equipment
- Experience recommending purchase orders, working with vendors, or helping define technical requirements for infrastructure projects (nice-to-have, not required).
As engineering leaders, we value diversity and are committed to building a culture of inclusion to attract and engage innovative thinkers. Our technology, meant to serve all of humanity, cannot succeed if those who built it do not mirror the diversity of the communities we serve. Applications from women, minorities, and other under-represented groups are encouraged.
About Rigetti
Rigetti Computing is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. The company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides ultra-low latency integration with public and private clouds for high-performance practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Rigetti was founded in 2013 and today employs more than 150 people with offices in the United States, U.K., and Australia. Learn more at .
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Export Licensing Compliance
Rigetti is committed to full compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We strive to create an inclusive work environment and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Skills
As published by lever · 3 questions · 3 written answers
Resume/CV, Full name, Email, Phone, Current location, Current company, LinkedIn URL, GitHub URL, Portfolio URL, Other website
- Describe a production issue you debugged that involved physical or on-premise infrastructure (e.g., a switch, firewall, server, or cabling problem). How did you find the root cause, and how did you resolve it?
- Describe your experience setting up or troubleshooting connectivity between an on-premise environment and AWS (e.g., VPN, Direct Connect, hybrid DNS, or routing between data center and cloud). What was the setup, and what issues or trade-offs did you run into?
- Describe how you've used an Infrastructure-as-Code tool (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation, or Ansible) to manage AWS infrastructure versus On Premise infrastructure. What did you provision or manage, and what was your workflow for making and reviewing changes?