Senior R&D Scientist

Entangled Future; Genf; Hybrid; CHF 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision plans

401(k) matching

Unlimited PTO and paid holidays

Parental/adoption leave

Legal insurance

Home technology stipend

Job summary

IonQ in Geneva, Switzerland, is seeking a Senior R&D Scientist to lead testing strategies for SNSPD devices and to optimize characterization methods. The role focuses on optical and cryogenic measurements, data-driven insights, and collaboration with fabrication and systems teams.

The ideal candidate has a Master’s (or PhD) in Physics or Engineering with 3+ years of experimental experience and a hands-on approach to photonics testing. Fluency in English is required; French is a plus.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Physics, Engineering, or closely related field.
• 3+ years of experience in experimental physics or related area.
• Strong hands-on experimental/engineering background.
• Proven experience testing optical or photonic systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of advanced testing strategies for SNSPD devices.
• Optimize characterization methodologies, including wafer-level testing where applicable.
• Develop and operate optical and cryogenic measurement setups.
• Analyze complex datasets to guide device design and process improvements.
• Collaborate with fabrication, packaging, and system teams to ensure test compatibility.
• Document methodologies, results and best practices clearly.

Skills

Hands-on experimental work

Data analysis

Autonomy

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in Physics/Engineering

Job description

Senior R&D Scientist at IonQ, Geneva, Switzerland. A senior-level full time position in the Quantum Platform - Network & Security team, listed under hardware engineering.

To support the next phase of growth of its SNSPD platform, IDQ is looking for a Senior R&D Scientist to join its team in Geneva. This role targets a highly motivated PhD-level candidate with a strong background in experimental physics, optics, or engineering, and a drive to rethink and scale testing methodologies for advanced photonic devices. The position focuses on developing and implementing next-generation testing and metrology approaches to enable scalable, reliable, and high-throughput characterization of SNSPD technologies. The successful candidate will work at the intersection of device physics, optical testing, and system-level thinking, in close collaboration with R&D, engineering, and industrialization teams.

You'll be a great fit with

• A PhD or Master’s degree in Physics, Engineering, or a closely related field.
• A strong hands-on background in optics or photonics experimental work.
• 5+ years of experience working in industry.

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available.

Our benefits include:

• comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
• matching 401(k)
• unlimited PTO and paid holidays
• parental/adoption leave
• legal insurance
• home technology stipend

Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.

At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of advanced testing strategies for SNSPD devices, with a focus on scalability and throughput.
• Rethink and optimize existing characterization methodologies, including possibly the transition toward wafer-level testing approaches.
• Develop and operate optical and cryogenic measurement setups for device characterization.
• Analyse and interpret complex datasets to guide device design and process improvements while driving experimental investigations to understand performance limits and variability across devices and wafers.
• Collaborate closely with fabrication, packaging, and system teams to ensure test compatibility with manufacturing flows.
• Document methodologies, results, and best practices in a structured and transferable way.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Physics, Engineering, or a closely related field.
• 3+ years of experience in experimental physics or a related field.
• Strong foundation in hands‑on experimental work or engineering.
• Proven experience testing and characterizing optical or photonic systems (e.g., optoelectronic devices, waveguides, or similar platforms).
• Solid understanding of measurement science and metrology principles, with experience designing or improving experimental setups.
• Strong data analysis skills, with the ability to extract meaningful insights from complex measurements.
• Ability to work autonomously while collaborating effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
• Fluent in English, with French considered a plus.