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IonQ is seeking a Physicist for the Resilience Engineering & Operations team to operate, maintain, and improve trapped-ion quantum computers. This role sits at the intersection of physics, hardware operations, and system reliability, contributing to the mission of keeping quantum systems running reliably, safely, and effectively.
You will take ownership of system maintenance and day-to-day operational performance, working closely with cross-functional teams across multiple locations (Oxford, Bothell, College Park, and Daejeon) to ensure commercial and development systems remain available and well understood.
Key responsibilities include:
- Participate in follow-the-sun on-call rotations to support uptime and respond to system issues
- Take ownership of regular and emergency maintenance activities to keep systems running reliably
- Build and maintain observability, automation, and operational practices that improve system performance and resilience
- Interpret telemetry and system behavior to diagnose issues, guide troubleshooting, and improve hardware understanding
- Work collaboratively across teams, time zones, and occasionally travel to other locations, including coordinating access, communicating status, and supporting training
This is an on-site role based in Oxford with occasional travel required.
REQUIREMENTS:
Must have: A strong experimental background in physics, optical engineering, or a related physical science discipline, along with hands-on experience working with complex technical systems in a lab or hardware environment. Ability to operate carefully in a fast-moving setting, communicate well across teams, and take practical ownership of keeping systems running.
Preferred: Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in physics, engineering, or another relevant physical science discipline; hands-on experience in atomic, optical, or closely related experimental environments, including optical setups and alignment of complex hardware systems; strong communication skills and collaborative mindset; flexibility to work as part of an on-call rotation with regular on-site presence in Oxford and ability to travel occasionally; experience with telemetry, data analysis, scripting or software tools such as Python or Rust, and ideally exposure to RF, analog, digital, or precision control systems.
