Quantum Engineering Postdoctoral Fellow

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory is seeking a Quantum Engineering Postdoctoral Fellow in the AMCR Division's QuIST group to advance superconducting qubit technologies, including materials, circuit design, and metrology. The role leverages state-of-the-art facilities at LBNL for fabrication and quantum measurements, contributing to full-stack QPU research.

The position emphasizes collaboration with industry partners, publication of results, and mentoring of graduate students, with on-site

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• Experience in cleanroom/nanofabrication processes with hands-on metrology for device performance/yield.
• Experience in superconducting qubit design, fabrication, and measurement.
• Strong publication record and ability to communicate results in writing and speaking.
• Ability to work collaboratively and mentor students.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to collaborators' sites and conferences.

Responsibilities

• Perform electromagnetic simulation of qubit circuits with novel designs to achieve high coherence qubits.
• Develop cleanroom metrology for superconducting qubit devices with CMOS in-line metrology in lab and with industry partners.
• Fabrication process development and optimization to improve device materials and characterize qubit performance.
• Fabrication of multiqubit, multilayer quantum processor as part of the Berkeley Lab project.
• Present and publish experimental results in internal and external meetings and journals.
• Support and lead collaboration projects with quantum computing industrial partners.

Skills

Superconducting qubits design

Microwave circuit design

Cleanroom metrology

Fabrication & measurement

Surface participation simulation

Material loss tangent

Publication & science communication

Collaborative teamwork

Mentoring students

Travel to collaborators/conferences

Education

PhD in Physics / Applied Physics / Electrical Engineering / Materials Science

Tools

EM solvers

Network analyzers

CMOS multilayer fabrication equipment

Job description

Overview

Berkeley Lab's Applied Mathematics Computational Research Division (AMCR) has an opening in the Quantum Information Science and Technology Group (QuIST) for a Quantum Engineering Postdoctoral Fellow under the Advanced Quantum Testbed (AQT) and Quantum System Accelerator (QSA) programs. The position focuses on materials and circuit electric field engineering to study material–performance causality of superconducting qubits, including electromagnetic design optimization and development of new metrology and fabrication techniques. The fellow will have access to the state-of-the-art superconducting circuit fabrication facility, quantum measurement lab, and advanced material characterization tools at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and will be part of the team developing and fabricating a multiqubit, multilayer quantum processor unit (QPU) for full-stack superconducting QPU research.

Responsibilities

• Perform electromagnetic simulation of qubit circuits with novel designs to achieve high coherence qubits.
• Develop cleanroom metrology for superconducting qubit devices, including CMOS in-line metrology, in the lab and in collaboration with industrial partners.
• Fabrication process development and optimization to improve device materials and characterize qubit device performance.
• Fabrication of multiqubit, multilayer quantum processor developed at Berkeley Lab.
• Present and publish experimental results in internal and external meetings and journals.
• Support and lead collaboration projects with quantum computing industrial partners.

Desirable Duties

• Mentoring graduate students.
• Support or lead writing including program reports, grants, and papers.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Material Science, or a related field.
• Experience in cleanroom/nanofabrication processes with hands-on knowledge of cleanroom metrology for device performance/yield characterization.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas:
  • Solid state quantum computing platforms (e.g., superconducting qubits, spin qubits, semiconductor nanowire/topological qubits, rare-earth qubits, nanophotonic).
  • Microwave circuit design and simulation (EM solvers, network analysis).
  • Complex-structure device fabrication (CMOS multilayer devices, flip-chip devices, microwave airbridges, RF circuit devices).
• Relevant publication record and proficiency in written and verbal communication of scientific results.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to mentor and direct the work of students.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to collaborators' sites and conferences.

Desirable skills/knowledge

• Experience in superconducting qubit design, fabrication, and measurement, including surface participation simulation and material loss tangent.
• Familiarity with material–device causality, linking film microstructure and surface chemistry to device physics and performance.
• Experience with surface treatment and surface metrology/measurement.

Benefits and Work Context

• We offer a total rewards package including comprehensive health and retirement benefits, tuition assistance, and a supportive culture.
• Vacation, sick time, and an annual Winter Holiday Shutdown; parental bonding leave and additional perks are available.

Additional information

• Appointment type: Full-time, 2-year postdoctoral appointment with possible renewal based on performance, funding, and needs. Less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience required. Salary determined by postdoctoral steps.
• Application consideration begins June 15, 2026; rolling basis until the posting is removed.
• Work modality: On-site, hybrid, or full-time telework. Primary location is Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA. Work must be performed within the United States. Real ID or acceptable identification required to access sites.
• Background check required; convictions will be evaluated for relevance to responsibilities. A conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant.
• This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applications from all who can contribute to our mission of scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories.