Senior Quantum Engineer

Summary

QuEra is building its next-generation quantum computer in Boston: the first fault-tolerant, universal quantum computer at a scale where commercially useful applications become possible. This is the scientific, technological and commercial frontier — and this Senior Quantum Engineer role sits at the center of it.

You will join the Quantum Computing Services team early in this new machine’s life, learn QuEra’s technology platform and the specific system from the ground up, and take on increasing ownership of the QPU, driving it towards a product. You will ultimately be involved in launching the product, and in the continued operation of an internally-facing and externally-facing (commercial) quantum computing service with the system at its core.

Your mandate in the first phase of the machine’s lifecycle is system integration: working on QuEra’s machine build task force and interfacing with internal and external engineering teams to corral and integrate the subsystems they deliver.

In the second phase of the machine’s lifecycle, your mandate is delivering, then sustaining, a product and service: helping build an operations team and ensuring the successful delivery of value to customers. You will be working closely with software teams to build out and integrate the software stack that enables programmability of the quantum computer, with product and commercial teams to define the product and service, and with applications and solutions teams to collaborate with go-to-market partners.

Across these phases you will be expected to:

Integrate and test new hardware and software features and subsystems, driven by technological developments, customer needs and market opportunities.

Take growing responsibility for overall operations — optimizing for performance, reliability, uptime and running cost.

Build and enable a team of operators so that the machine can serve as the dependable backbone of a commercial service.

Support users and customers, and translate their needs into the machine’s roadmap.

Qualifications

A Ph.D. in experimental AMO physics or a related field, with 6+ years of hands-on experience building or operating a neutral-atom or trapped-ion system (as part of the Ph.D. or otherwise).

Strong communication and collaboration skills, and a real interest in working across multidisciplinary teams — integrating their work into a system and rallying the support it needs.

Strong interest in working with customers and end users to understand their needs and translate them into features, ultimately delivering value for the market.

Software skills, including programming languages and a basic understanding of software architectures.

Familiarity with quantum error correction and fault-tolerant architectures is a plus.

Familiarity with modern AI workflows for automation is a plus.

Success in research, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and/or scientific talks and other contributions.

A willingness to provide on-call support for machine and service operations.

Excitement to work at the scientific, technological and commercial frontier of quantum computing, and the drive to grow into increasing ownership of a flagship system.

Salary Range: $130,000 to $210,000. We consistently monitor external market data and update base salary ranges accordingly. We determine base compensation decisions on several factors, including as geographic placement, role-specific knowledge, skills, and/or experience. In addition to our base salary offerings, we also provide equity grants for all new hires.

QuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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