Quantum Applications Leader — New Mexico Research Lab

QuEra Computing, Inc.; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Job summary

QuEra Computing is expanding to New Mexico and seeks a senior quantum scientist to serve as Head of Quantum Applications in Albuquerque. You will build and lead a local research group, define a high-impact agenda, and anchor the scientific direction for quantum algorithms, simulations, and hardware collaborations.

You will cultivate partnerships with LANL and SNL, pursue government funding as PI/co-PI, publish work, and translate research into demonstrations on QuEra’s neutral-atom hardware,

Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Quantum Information Science, or a closely related field.
• 10+ years of experience in quantum computing and/or computational quantum physics, spanning both research and applied contexts.
• Demonstrated track record as a research group leader. Experience managing and mentoring teams of scientists.
• Established record as a PI or co-PI on federally funded research programs (DOE, DARPA, IARPA, NSF, or equivalent).
• Deep expertise in quantum algorithms and applications, with strength in at least one: quantum simulation, quantum machine learning, or fault-tolerant quantum computation.
• Experience mapping quantum algorithms to hardware constraints and working closely with experimental teams.
• Strong publication record and recognition in the quantum computing community.
• Excellent communication skills; comfortable engaging with technical audiences, program managers, and executive leadership.

Responsibilities

• Hire, mentor, and build a team of quantum scientists in the New Mexico area.
• Set the research agenda for the site and ensure alignment with QuEra's broader applications roadmap.
• Serve as the primary scientific applications and algorithms leadership presence for QuEra in the region.
• Develop and execute a research program spanning quantum simulation of strongly correlated systems, quantum machine learning, and cryptanalysis, targeting the path towards fault-tolerant quantum computation.
• Translate scientific research into concrete demonstrations on QuEra's neutral-atom hardware, working closely with hardware teams.
• Collaborate with QuEra's central applications team to identify and develop practically useful quantum applications grounded in real customer and government use cases.
• Publish high-quality research works and contribute to the scientific community through conference presentations, workshops, and open-source tooling.
• Deepen strategic research collaborations with LANL and SNL, leveraging proximity and existing community ties.
• Represent QuEra in regional scientific forums, workshops, and joint programs with national labs and New Mexico universities.
• Help position QuEra as the preferred quantum computing partner for national security and DOE mission-driven science in the region.
• Serve as PI or co-PI on federally funded research programs (DOE, DARPA, IARPA, NSF, or equivalent).
• Develop compelling technical proposals that communicate QuEra's quantum computing capabilities to federal program managers.
• Contribute to QuEra's strategic positioning in government programs
• Contribute to rigorous application-level benchmarking of QuEra's systems, bridging hardware performance and algorithmic metrics.
• Engage with quantum error correction researchers to understand QEC impact on application performance.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Publication record

Education

PhD in Physics or related field

Job description

QuEra Computing is expanding to New Mexico and seeks a senior quantum scientist to serve as Head of Quantum Applications in Albuquerque. You will build and lead a local research group, define a high-impact agenda, and anchor the scientific direction for quantum algorithms, simulations, and hardware collaborations.

You will cultivate partnerships with LANL and SNL, pursue government funding as PI/co-PI, publish work, and translate research into demonstrations on QuEra’s neutral-atom hardware,