SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 185,000 - 265,000 / annual
Q-CTRL is seeking a Staff Research Scientist to establish and lead the research program in fault-tolerant quantum applications. The role sits within the Applications & Algorithms team, which develops quantum algorithms and workflows to make quantum computers useful.
You will identify compelling applications for fault-tolerant quantum computing and develop the algorithms, implementations, and quantitative resource analyses needed to understand when and how those applications become practical. The work spans from application-level thinking down through algorithmic primitives and logical resource requirements, with close collaboration across quantum error correction, compilation, control, and quantum software teams.
Key responsibilities include:
- Identify, formulate, and prioritize applications with credible opportunities for useful fault-tolerant quantum computation
- Design, implement, and analyze quantum algorithms for scientifically or commercially relevant problems
- Translate high-level algorithms into explicit logical workloads and quantify requirements (logical qubits, non-Clifford resources, circuit depth, measurements, runtime, space-time overhead)
- Develop algorithmic improvements that materially reduce resource costs of fault-tolerant computation
- Establish rigorous classical baselines and quantitative criteria for assessing potential quantum advantage
- Build and maintain high-quality research software for algorithm implementation, simulation, benchmarking, and resource estimation
- Collaborate with researchers in quantum error correction, circuit synthesis, compilation, and control
- Use contemporary quantum hardware or early logical-qubit systems selectively to validate algorithms and assumptions
- Initiate and lead ambitious research projects, mentor other researchers, and shape technical direction
- Translate research results into reusable capabilities relevant to Q-CTRL's technology roadmap
- Publish and present research in peer-reviewed journals and leading conferences
- Communicate technical work clearly to expert and broader audiences
This is an application-facing quantum-algorithms role (not quantum-error-correction focused). Most work involves theory, simulation, resource estimation, and research software, with selective use of hardware experiments.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Advanced degree (PhD strongly preferred) in Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, Engineering, or related discipline; exceptional candidates with equivalent research or industry experience considered
- Deep expertise in quantum computing and quantum algorithms with record of independently leading substantial research projects
- Experience moving beyond asymptotic algorithmic results toward explicit implementations, numerical studies, or concrete resource estimates
- Strong record of impactful research demonstrated through publications, software, patents, presentations, or equivalent technical contributions
- Strong scientific-programming skills, particularly Python, with experience developing reliable research software
- Ability to reason critically about both quantum and classical algorithms and construct credible classical baselines
- Broad scientific judgment to identify important research problems, set technical direction, and carry projects from concept through quantitative validation
- Experience using large language models or AI agents to accelerate scientific research (literature synthesis, hypothesis generation, code development, automated experimentation, scientific reasoning)
- Strong communication and collaboration skills across quantum algorithms, error correction, compilation, software engineering, and application domains
DESIRABLE SKILLS (one or more):
- Hamiltonian simulation, quantum phase estimation, quantum signal processing, QSVT, block encoding, amplitude estimation, or related large-scale quantum algorithm techniques
- Quantum chemistry, many-body physics, materials simulation, or scientific-computing applications
- Fault-tolerant resource estimation or logical circuit synthesis
- Working knowledge of quantum error correction and fault-tolerant architectures
- HPC, GPU computing, tensor-network methods, or advanced classical simulation techniques
- Experience executing algorithms on contemporary quantum hardware
- Quantum compiler development or circuit optimization
- Rigorous quantum-learning theory or emerging application areas with credible quantum advantage routes
