Senior Developer Relations Manager - Photonic AI (f/m/d)

Stuttgart

Full-time

Permanent employee

Your mission

Location: Stuttgart or Munich, Germany
Type: Full-time, hybrid (3 days onsite)

The future of AI computing builds on 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 we bring this technology to developers worldwide, we need someone who thrives on connecting with people, igniting curiosity, and turning cutting-edge hardware into a movement.

As Senior Developer Relations Manager - Photonic AI (f/m/d), you will build and run Q.ANT's developer community from the ground up. Your mission is to make photonic computing irresistible to developers in companies, universities, and the broader tech community - through events, hackathons, technical content, and direct engagement. You will be one of the public faces of Q.ANT Software: presenting on stage, running workshops, writing tutorials, and proactively approaching the people who will shape the future of photonic computing. This role sits in the Software department, reporting to the VP Software.

What You Will Do

Define and execute Q.ANT's developer community strategy - conceive, plan, and run forums, meetups, hackathons, and engagement activities that grow an active developer base around photonic computing
Represent Q.ANT as a speaker and known face at conferences, meetups, and community events - present confidently, engage technical audiences, and build lasting relationships with developers, researchers, and partners
Cultivate deep relationships with key developer advocates, early adopters, and technical influencers – engage 1:1, gather feedback, and build a network of photonic computing champions who amplify Q.ANT's reach
Create and curate technical content - author blog posts, tutorials, whitepapers, and articles that keep developers engaged and drive adoption of Q.ANT's technology
Develop hands-on learning materials - create tutorials, code examples, and reference implementations for workshops, hackathons, and self-paced developer onboarding
Serve as the technical interface to clients, partners, and prospects - answer technical questions, run workshops, and ensure developers succeed with Q.ANT hardware
Establish Q.ANT as a recognized thought leader in the photonic computing community through strategic, high-quality technical content and active engagement on developer platforms (GitHub, Stack Overflow, Reddit, X) and social media
Coordinate with internal technical teams and marketing communications to ensure content, messaging, and engagement activities are aligned with Q.ANT's product roadmap and brand

Your profile

Proven experience in building and running developer communities (3+ years) in person and on community platforms (Discord, Stack Overflow, Reddit or similar) - not just participating, but owning community strategy, growing engagement, and driving measurable developer adoption
Software engineering background with hands-on Python skills, particularly for compute-intensive tasks (NumPy, scientific computing, ML frameworks) - you create credible tutorials and reference implementations, not just slide decks
Deep understanding of AI algorithms and scientific algorithms - you can discuss these topics at a level that earns respect from a developer audience
Strong public speaking and presentation skills with a track record of engaging technical audiences - you are energized by standing on stage, running workshops, and approaching people proactively
Willingness to travel occasionally for key conferences, meetups, and client engagements
Proven ability to create technical content (blog posts, tutorials, whitepapers) - you are a content creator, not a content manager
Strong cross-functional coordination skills - you align technical teams, marketing, and external stakeholders
Experience working with clients in a technical context - you have served as a technical interface to external partners, not just internal teams
Fluent in English for public speaking, writing, and community moderation; German language skills are a plus
Experience with open source tooling (GitHub, Jupyter notebooks), community events such as hackathons and workshops, or a deep tech context (quantum computing, photonics, HPC) is a plus. Experience engaging with academic communities (universities, research labs) or scientific communication is also valued

Why us?

Make impact at scale: Help solve one of computing's biggest challenges - making growing demand in compute and sustainability go hand in hand
Work on the leading edge: Photonic AI acceleration technologies that will define the next decade of computing - already validated in production HPC environments
Own your work from day one: Shape the community strategy, content, and public presence of Q.ANT on your own, with direct impact on developer adoption and the future of AI infrastructure
Fast-track your growth: Work on challenges with few industry precedents - every community you build and every event you run becomes new institutional knowledge
Be the multiplier: Your work brings photonic computing to developers worldwide and directly helps clients succeed
World-class team: Collaborate alongside a passionate, international, cross-functional team of experts in photonics, processor design, and AI software
Direct access to leadership: Work closely with the company's founders, including CEO Dr. Michael Foertsch, 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

We're looking for someone who gets energized by building communities from scratch, standing on stage, and making cutting-edge technology accessible to developers worldwide.

If you thrive on connecting with people and turning complex technology into something developers love - we want to hear from you. 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.

About us

Who we are and what we do

Q.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.