Staff Experimental Scientist

Lever, Inc.; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexibility

Equity potential

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Q-CTRL is seeking a Staff Experimental Scientist to advance atom-interferometry-based quantum gravimeters. You'll design, assemble, and ruggedise prototypes for field deployment, ensuring reliability outside the lab.

You'll work across optics, mechanics and electronics, troubleshoot complex systems, and collaborate with quantum scientists and engineers to push hardware performance for real-world vehicles and platforms.

Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Experience designing, operating, calibration, packaging, testing and validation of complex prototypes.
• Experience with complex lab and field hardware, including mechanical, optical and electrical systems.
• Desire to work with a world leading team building quantum technology.

Responsibilities

• Prepare prototypes for field trials: design, assemble, operate, test, modify and ruggedise complex prototypes for reliable field deployment
• Conduct prototype deployments: travel and work from location to ensure field success
• R&D troubleshooting & fixing: diagnose and fix hardware issues in lab and field
• Implement new techniques: deploy novel sensing and control schemes on fieldable prototypes
• Cross-functional collaboration: partner with scientists and engineers to iteratively improve hardware concepts
• Note: background in quantum mechanics not required; focus on hardware success.

Skills

Experimental design

Prototype development

Hardware troubleshooting

Field deployment

Cross-functional collaboration

Python programming

Metrology

Education

PhD in Physics, Engineering or related

Tools

Laser systems

Optical systems

Vacuum systems

Cold atoms

Instrumentation

Job description

About the team

Q-CTRL’s Quantum Sensing Research team performs basic and applied research in quantum sensing and quantum-enabled navigation. It is a highly dynamic team comprising approximately 30 specialists in theoretical and experimental atomic physics, cold-atom interferometry, navigation modeling, and modern Bayesian estimation and signal processing techniques.

The Quantum Sensing Research and Quantum Sensing Engineering teams work closely together, translating novel quantum sensing research into a useful capability and product. We are focussed on pushing the boundary of what is possible in quantum sensing and ensuring our R&D has real-world impact.

About the role

We are seeking a new Staff Experimental Scientist to perform critical experimental and hardware development work on Q-CTRL’s atom-interferometry-based quantum gravimeters. Your role will be focussed on reducing hardware risk across a range of our current and next generation sensors.

We need a natural problem solver, someone with outstanding experimental and hardware intuition who can design, assemble, troubleshoot and upgrade complex scientific, optical, mechanical and electrical systems. You are someone who thrives in an R&D environment, handles high-stakes precision hardware with extreme care, and are solutions minded when it comes to research. A key component of this role will be contributing to the development and ruggedisation of our experimental hardware in preparation for deployment onto a range of real world vehicles and platforms.

You will be operating in the crossover of research of ultra precise next generation quantum sensors and the difficulties associated with ensuring their performance and reliability remains exquisite when outside of the lab.

What you’ll be doing:

• Preparation of prototypes for field trials: Design, assemble, operate, test, modify and ruggedise complex experimental prototypes for reliable field deployment
• Conduct prototype deployments: Participate in all aspects of successful field trial delivery including travelling and work from location
• R&D Troubleshooting & Fixing: Diagnose, troubleshoot, and fix complex mechanical, optical and electronics hardware issues both in the lab and the field
• Implementation of New Techniques: Utilize outcomes of internal lab based research and deploy new and novel sensing techniques and control schemes onto our fieldable prototypes
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner directly with quantum scientists, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers to assemble, test, and iteratively improve hardware concepts
• Note on Quantum Experience: You do not need a background in quantum mechanics or quantum hardware! We have world-class scientists to handle the physics—we need your exceptional problem solving abilities to ensure success for our hardware and prototype development and testing

Ideally you’ll have:

• A PhD in Physics, Engineering or a closely related discipline
• Experience in the design, operation, calibration, optimisation, packaging, testing and validation of complex and state of the art prototypes
• Experience working with and troubleshooting complex scientific, mechanical, optical and electrical systems both in the lab and the field (e.g. robotics, scientific apparatus, complex sensors, metrology)
• Finally, you will have a strong desire to work with a world leading team and a company that is fundamentally building the future of the quantum technology industry

It would be fantastic if you have these skills/experience:

• Laser, Optical, Vacuum Systems and Cold Atoms: Hands-on familiarity working with or troubleshooting these systems
• Precision measurement: Experience with low-noise precision measurement or cutting edge metrology
• Programming: Experience with hardware programming including Python
• R&D & Scientific Collaboration: Experience working in an academic or industrial research environment, with a proven ability to communicate effectively and collaborate side-by-side with scientists and research physicists

About Q-CTRL

Q-CTRL is the global leader in AI-powered quantum control infrastructure software. We build the tools that make quantum technology useful, solving the hardest challenges in quantum computing and quantum sensing to deliver real-world impact.

Founded in 2017, we operate globally with offices in Sydney, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Huntsville, Berlin, and Oxford. Our teams bring together technical and multi-disciplinary expertise across the product lifecycle, and we’re hiring talent to help scale every part of the business. We work quickly to turn cutting-edge science into deployable technology.

In 2024 we raised US$113 million in Series B funding, the largest aggregate investment for a quantum software company. Six months later we delivered the first commercial quantum advantage with Ironstone Opal, our field-validated quantum navigation solution for defense and industry.

At Q-CTRL, we prioritize outcomes over hours. We offer flexibility, equity potential, and competitive benefits that reflect our high-performance culture. If you’re ready to help shape the future of quantum, we’d love to hear from you!