About Sandia:

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacation, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

*These benefits vary by job classification.

What Your Job Will Be Like:

We are seeking a Physics Research Scientist candidate with relevant experience in practical theoretical/computational quantum computing to join Sandia’s Quantum Information Science (QIS) team. You will perform and contribute to research that addresses important, urgent challenges in quantum computing, especially the challenge of accelerating the timeline to utility-scale quantum computing that can solve US and DOE mission problems. Areas of particular interest to our team include performance of quantum computing devices, practical algorithms for DOE mission applications, techniques to enable utility-scale quantum computing and modeling of quantum computing systems at a variety of scales. You will be part of a much broader QIS program in the DOE National Laboratories complex and will have an opportunity to engage with researchers and teams across the industry.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Advance protocols and methods for characterizing and optimizing the performance of quantum processors.
• Develop hardware-inspired optimization for novel quantum error correcting protocols.
• Create algorithms, analyses, simulation tools, and programming methods.
• Collaborate with experimental teams, especially Sandia’s open QIS testbeds including QSCOUT.
• Partner with peers within Sandia and across the industry in QIS.
• Participate and lead in QIS R&D programs.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

Salary Range:

$114,000 - $227,500

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

Qualifications We Require:

• PhD degree in Physics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry, or a relevant science or engineering field
• Demonstrated expertise in quantum device characterization, quantum computer benchmarking, and/or quantum error correction
• Ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q clearance

Qualifications We Desire:

• Proficiency in Python software development, code verification, and modern software quality practices
• Interest in impactful applications and support of customers in relevant DOE missions
• Exceptional track record of successful execution of challenging, original research-and-development projects as demonstrated by graduate courses, dissertation topics, and outstanding reference letters
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, along with strong teamwork abilities for collaborating in a multi-disciplinary team environment
• Experience with artificial-intelligence methods applied to quantum information science
• Established authorship and innovation record, such as peer-reviewed scholarly articles, patents, or technical books

About Our Team:

The Photonic Microsystems Technologies Department exploits science and technology at the nano and micro scales to enable advances in systems for national security. Our engagement is with a broad spectrum of technologies and a diverse field of customers with a successful record of maturing technology from concept to laboratory demo to prototype. The department consists of teams that lead the development and understanding of quantum effects associated with silicon electronic devices, atomic and molecular gases, and trapped electrons, atoms and ions. Most significantly, with a strong presence in the Microsystems Engineering Sciences and Applications (MESA) facility and the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) and working broadly with other Sandia and external organizations, we fabricate electronic structures and devices that use these effects to achieve new levels of performance at the integrated system level. Core technology areas in the department include nanofabrication of silicon devices; electromagnetic modeling; and ion trap and solid-state quantum information science and technology.

Posting Duration:

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the ‘posting date’. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Security Clearance:

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.

Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.

NNSA Requirements for MedPEDs:

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.

If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Job ID: 695065

Job Family: RD

Regular/Temporary Position: R

Full/Part-Time Status: F