Quantum Compilation Intern M/F

Alice & Bob; Paris; On-site; EUR 12,000 - 17,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

1 day off per month

Half transportation cost coverage

Meal vouchers

Job summary

Alice & Bob, a France-based startup building a universal quantum computer, seeks a Quantum Compilation Intern in Paris. You will explore magic state distillation design space, translate protocols to our logical instruction set, and help optimize distillation factories.

You are pursuing a Master’s degree in physics, CS or quantum engineering, with Python experience and a taste for research. English fluency is required; no prior work experience needed.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree (M2) in progress in physics, computer science or quantum engineering.
• English proficiency required.
• No prior professional experience required; a research project or internship in quantum information is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Review magic state distillation literature and identify candidates.
• Translate selected protocols into Alice & Bob's logical instruction set.
• Design and optimize factory layouts for repetition-code and LDPC-code architectures.
• Develop resource estimation and noise-simulation tools.
• Document results and contribute to publications or invention disclosures.

Skills

Python programming

Quantum computing

Stabilizer formalism

English proficiency

Education

M2 in physics/CS/quantum engineering

Tools

Stim

z3

Job description

Alice & Bob is developing the first universal, fault-tolerant quantum computer to solve the world’s hardest problems.

The quantum computer we envision building is based on a new kind of superconducting qubit: the Schrödinger cat qubit. In comparison to other superconducting platforms, cat qubits have the astonishing ability to implement quantum error correction autonomously!

We're a diverse team of 250+ brilliant minds from over 35 countries united by a single goal: to revolutionise computing with a practical fault-tolerant quantum machine. Are you ready to take on unprecedented challenges and contribute to revolutionising technology? Join us, and let's shape the future of quantum computing together!

Purpose of the role

In a context where magic state preparation dominates the space-time cost of fault-tolerant quantumalgorithms, recent advances have substantially widened the factory design space: batched protocolsproducing several magic states per run, compact protocols leveraging qubit recycling,and “unfolded” distillation performed at the physical rather than the logical level, which exploits the noise bias of cat qubits.

Because the repetition codes underlying Alice & Bob’s architecture do not natively give access to the full Clifford group, the architecture must also distill Clifford resource states in addition to non-Clifford magic states. Selecting the best factory is a highly multi-parameter optimization problem, coupling spatial and temporal code distances, single- versus multi-output protocols, the degree of parallelism of the distillation circuit, the magic state injection scheme, the factory layout, and hardware connectivity constraints.

The Quantum Compilation Intern helps navigate this design space to identify the most resource-efficient factories for Alice & Bob’s architecture, focusing first on magic state factories and possibly extending the resulting tools toClifford state factories. Reporting to the Quantum Compilation PhD Researcher (CIFRE), with possible co-supervision byÉlie Gouzien, they will work closely with the Compilation and QEC teams to design, compile andoptimise distillation factories for Alice & Bob’s architecture, and may design new distillation protocolsalong the way. This work feeds directly into Alice & Bob’s physical resource estimates for (early)fault-tolerant quantum computation.

The internship starts between January and March 2027 !

Responsibilities:

1. Review the state of the art in magic state distillation
   • Survey single- and multi-output (batched) protocols, qubit-recycling techniques and unfolded (physical-level) distillation
   • Identify promising candidates for Alice & Bob’s architecture, including two-stage strategies combining physical- and logical-level distillation
2. Compile distillation protocols to Alice & Bob’s logical instruction set
   • Translate selected protocols into sequences of logical operations native to Alice & Bob’s architecture
   • Integrate magic state injection schemes and hardware connectivity constraints into the compiled protocols
3. Design and optimise factory layouts
   • Propose concrete layouts for repetition-code and LDPC-code architectures
   • Minimise factory space-time volume by jointly optimising code distances, degree of parallelism and placement of operations
4. Develop resource-estimation and noise-simulation tools
   • Build a tool exploring the multi-parameter design space and computing the space-time cost of candidate factories
   • Run circuit-level noise simulations to validate factory output fidelities and refine the resource estimates
5. Extend the scope and communicate results
   • Design new distillation protocols where the exploration reveals gaps, and apply the developed tools to Clifford state factories
   • Document results in an internal report and, where relevant, contribute to publications or invention disclosures

Requirements:

You are curious and rigorous, comfortable with open-ended research questions, and able to work independently while engaging regularly with the team.

• Education: Master’s degree (M2) in progress in physics, computer science or quantum engineering
• Languages: Proficient in English
• Experience No prior professional experience required; a previous research project or internship in quantum information is an asset
• Solid foundations in quantum computing and quantum information, including the stabilizer formalism
  • Programming in Python for scientific computing
  • Ability to read and critically assess research literature
  • Rigour, autonomy and clear written and oral communication in English

Nice to have:

• Knowledge of quantum error correction (CSS codes, repetition and LDPC codes, lattice surgery) and magic state distillation
• Familiarity with classical coding theory
• Experience with stabilizer simulation tools (e.g. stim)
• Experience with combinatorial optimisation or SAT/SMT solvers (e.g. z3)

Benefits:

• 1 day off per month
• Half of transportation cost coverage (as per French law)
• Meal vouchers with Swile, as well as access to a fully equipped and regularly stocked kitchen

Research shows that women might feel hesitant to apply for this job if they don't match 100% of the job requirements listed. This list is a guide, and we'd love to receive your application even if you think you're only a partial match. We are looking to build teams that innovate, not just tick boxes on a job spec.

You will join of one of the most innovative startups in France at an early stage, to be part of a passionate and friendly team on its mission to build the first universal quantum computer!

We love to share and learn from one another, so you will be certain to innovate, develop new ideas, and have the space to grow.