Postdoctoral Appointee - Quantum Characterization and Information Science

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.

• 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 401(k), 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://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..gov

* These benefits vary by job classification.

We are seeking Postdoctoral Appointee candidates with a demonstrated publication record or relevant experience to join Sandia's Quantum Performance Laboratory to pursue world‑leading research in the design and application of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) methods for the characterization, calibration, benchmarking, and simulation of quantum computers. You will be part of Sandia's much broader QIS and ML/AI programs and will have an opportunity to engage with researchers and teams across the QIS industry.

Postdocs in our group work at the frontier of practical and theoretical quantum computing research, publish widely, and have broad latitude to identify compelling research problems, take leadership, and solve them.

• Work with a team developing and implementing new ML and AI methods for assessing and improving the performance of quantum computers;
• Interact and collaborate with a diverse set of software developers, experimentalists, and theorists at Sandia, academic institutions, other national labs, and private companies;
• Take ownership of technical projects, publish outstanding new developments in peer‑reviewed scientific journals, and present your work at conferences.

The location for this position may be on the main Sandia campus in Albuquerque, NM, or Livermore, CA, hybrid, or remote work.

• A Ph.D. in Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Chemistry, or a related science or engineering field, Ph.D. must be conferred within 5 years of employment.
• Experience in scientific software development in Python, including collaborative code development, code verification, and modern software quality practices.
• Experience with ML code development, using ML software such as Tensor Flow, and the application of ML to scientific research problems

• Record of research as demonstrated by publications in peer‑reviewed journals, competitive conference proceedings, or high‑impact program deliverables
• Experience with mathematical techniques for modelling or characterization noisy quantum computers.
• Demonstrated research experience in quantum computation and information science.
• Experience turning math into code.

You will be a member of the Quantum Performance Laboratory (QPL), a multidisciplinary research and development group within Sandia National Laboratories. Our team develops and deploys cutting‑edge techniques for assessing and improving the performance of quantum computing hardware, serving the needs of the U.S. government, industry, and academia. We are geographically dispersed, but maintain a strong culture of collaboration. The QPL works closely with a wide range of partners in industry and academia to develop new performance assessment tools and apply them to newly developed quantum computing platforms.

We are committed to advancing the field of quantum computing, and we publish our research in scientific journals including Nature, Nature Physics, Nature Communications, Physical Review X, PRX Quantum, and Physical Review Letters.

Our culture values…