Senior Quantum Engineer, Gate Calibration

Socket.dev; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Rigetti Computing is seeking an experienced Quantum Engineer to advance two-qubit gate performance on tunable-coupler superconducting processors. You will design, run, and interpret experiments shaping calibration and error budgeting across large qubit arrays.

You will own test plans, develop robust metrology, and collaborate with device design, fabrication, control, software, theory, and R&D teams to turn proofs of concept into scalable procedures for production hardware.

Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience calibrating and characterizing two-qubit gates on superconducting devices.
• Deep understanding of gate design, pulse engineering, and decoherence mechanisms.
• Ability to independently execute complex experimental efforts from concept to result.
• Strong Python skills in a scientific context.
• Dogged experimental determination with balanced depth and speed.
• Excellent communication and collaborative mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead experimental programs to characterize, calibrate, and optimize two-qubit gates on tunable-coupler devices.
• Identify gate-error bottlenecks and isolate their physical origin through targeted experiments and benchmarking.
• Develop and harden calibration methods using pulse shaping, dynamical decoupling, and other error suppression strategies.
• Develop and improve metrology for Hamiltonian extraction and relate it to device design and fabrication.
• Prepare Rigetti devices for use by internal applications teams and external deployment.
• Stay current with literature and translate advanced techniques into production-capable hardware.
• Contribute to the field of superconducting quantum computing via high-quality publications.

Skills

Python (scientific)

Experimental design

Communication

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

PhD in Physics or related field

Tools

QuTiP

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Quantum Engineer to drive the two-qubit gate performance of our tunable-coupler superconducting quantum processors.

Two-qubit gate fidelity is one of the most consequential challenges in quantum computing, and it sits at the center of our roadmap toward error correction. In this role, you will design, execute, and interpret the experiments that propel our near- and long-term gate performance at scale. You will identify the dominant sources of two-qubit gate error on our processors, isolate their physical origin, and eliminate them - through pulse engineering, calibration methodology, error suppression strategies, or feedback to design and fabrication. Your conclusions will directly inform device design, control strategy, and platform-level decisions.

This is a role with substantial autonomy and ownership. You will directly influence the technical direction for gate performance work through the rigorous design and execution of your test plans, measurement and improvement of relevant metrics and error budgeting, and shaping of research priorities. You will do this in a deeply collaborative environment spanning device design, fabrication, control systems, software, theory and R&D, turning proofs of concept into robust procedures that hold up across hundreds of qubit pairs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead experimental programs to characterize, calibrate, and optimize two-qubit gates on tunable-coupler devices, from single-pair physics investigations to full-processor deployment.
• Identify gate-error bottlenecks (e.g., coherent control error, decoherence, leakage, crosstalk, TLS interactions) for single-pair as well as large-scale systems and isolate their physical origin through targeted experiments, benchmarking, and simulation.
• Develop and harden calibration methods using techniques such as optimal pulse shaping, dynamical decoupling, and other error suppression strategies, with an emphasis on robustness and automation at scale.
• Develop and improve metrology for full-processor Hamiltonian and characteristic extraction and correlate with gate performance. Turn that knowledge into actionable feedback for device design, fabrication, and control hardware teams, and drive those changes to closure.
• Prepare novel Rigetti devices for use by internal applications development teams and external deployment.
• Stay current with the literature and convert state-of-the-art techniques into working capability on production hardware.
• Contribute to the field of superconducting quantum computing by converting relevant findings into high-quality publications.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Significant hands-on experience calibrating and characterizing two-qubit gates on superconducting quantum devices; direct experience with tunable couplers is a strong plus.
• Deep understanding of gate design, pulse engineering, and decoherence mechanisms, with a track record of connecting error diagnostics to concrete fidelity improvements.
• Demonstrated ability to independently execute complex experimental efforts from concept to validated result.
• Strong Python skills in a scientific context, and comfort building tools that others rely on.
• Dogged experimental determination, with the judgment to balance depth of investigation against speed of iteration.
• Excellent communication skills and a team-first mindset in a strongly collaborative environment.

Nice to Have

• Experience with quantum simulation frameworks such as QuTiP for gate and noise modeling.
• Experience deploying calibration or benchmarking procedures across large multi-qubit processors in an industrial or startup setting.
• Familiarity with randomized benchmarking variants, gate set tomography, cycle benchmarking, or other scalable error diagnostics.
• Publication record or demonstrated results in high-fidelity entangling gates, error suppression, or quantum control.
• Experience mentoring junior scientists or leading small technical teams.

As engineering leaders, we value diversity and are committed to building a culture of inclusion to attract and engage innovative thinkers. Our technology, meant to serve all of humanity, cannot succeed if those who built it do not mirror the diversity of the communities we serve. Applications from women, minorities, and other under-represented groups are encouraged.

About Rigetti

Rigetti Computing is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. The company's proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides ultra-low latency integration with public and private clouds for high-performance practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry's first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry's first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Rigetti was founded in 2013 and today employs more than 150 people with offices in the United States, U.K., and Australia. Learn more at www.rigetti.com.

Export Licensing Compliance

Rigetti is committed to full compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We strive to create an inclusive work environment and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.