Principal Physicist – System Modeling & Operation Optimization | 1046

The role

You will develop and validate models of trapped-ion quantum operations and analyze experimental data to find performance limits. You will work with engineers and system operators to improve hardware operation, fidelity and reliability.

What you will do

• Develop and validate theoretical and numerical models of trapped-ion quantum operations, including laser–ion interactions, motional dynamics, and sources of error and decoherence.
• Analyze experimental data to identify performance limitations, test physical explanations, and recommend improvements to operating parameters, control sequences, and calibration routines.
• Collaborate with system operators and engineers to design targeted experiments, interpret results, and implement and verify improvements on the hardware.
• Develop and maintain operation error models grounded in measured system behavior, identifying the dominant contributions and prioritizing opportunities for improvement.
• Perform analyses and design trade studies to inform hardware specifications, control approaches, and concepts of operation for future quantum computers.
• Build reusable modeling, analysis, and automation software, and communicate findings through recommendations, technical documentation, presentations, and publications.

Required qualifications

• PhD in physics or a closely related field, completed prior to the start date.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience, including PhD research, in atomic physics, quantum computing, quantum information, or closely related fields.
• Must be a U.S. Person: U.S. citizen, permanent resident or green card holder, or worker granted asylum or refugee status.
• Must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless also a U.S. citizen.

Nice to have

• Strong foundation in the theory of atomic systems and coherent quantum control, applied to experimentally realized qubit systems.
• Deep understanding of trapped-ion quantum computing, particularly QCCD architectures and laser cooling.
• Strong scientific programming skills and experience developing software for modeling and data analysis.
• Experience collaborating with experimental scientists or engineers to turn theory into changes in hardware operation.
• Experience modeling and mitigating laser noise, drift, crosstalk, motional heating and calibration errors.
• Experience benchmarking qubit operations and connecting measured performance to physical error mechanisms.
• Familiarity with experimental control systems, automated calibration and the constraints of operating complex quantum hardware.
• Ability to work independently on open-ended problems and prioritize analysis by impact on system performance.
• Excellent communication skills and published results in their field.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and the opportunity to work on groundbreaking technology
• Flexible work arrangements
• Employer-subsidized medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match and student loan repayment benefit
• Equity opportunities
• Generous paid time off, sick leave and 12 paid holidays annually
• Paid parental leave
• Employee discount programs

Before you apply

• Must be a U.S. Person under U.S. contractual requirements.
• Must not be a People's Republic of China or Russian national unless also a U.S. citizen, due to U.S. government national security requirements.
• Applicants for safety-sensitive positions must pass a pre-employment drug test.
• Some positions may need U.S. government export authorization before a non-U.S. person can access controlled technology.

About the company

Quantinuum is a quantum computing company delivering a full stack platform for real-world deployment, with more than 800 employees headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. It operates across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Singapore.