Senior Quantum Hardware Design Engineer

HITEC; Town of Yorktown (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM Research is seeking talented engineers to join the quantum hardware design/simulation team at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY.

The role focuses on delivering quantum processor and processor-adjacent designs, spanning from exploratory research to production-roadmap development, collaborating with scientists, engineers, and visionaries in a culture of curiosity and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree is required.
• PhD preferred for advanced research roles.
• Proven experience with RF/microwave IC design and testing.

Responsibilities

• Participation in design releases for QPUs and related testsites.
• Connectivity/schematic capture for quantum hardware releases.
• Participation in layout construction and/or chip finishing for quantum hardware releases.
• EM simulation and model development for quantum hardware components and full designs.
• Methodology development, focusing on quantum-specific microwave design flows.

Skills

RF/microwave/IC design tooling

Microwave engineering

Electromagnetic simulations

Schematic-driven mask layout

Linux/Unix fluency

Git/version control

Python

Maintainable code writing

Education

Master's Degree

Doctorate Degree

Tools

Cadence Virtuoso/Innovus

Synopsys Custom Compiler/Fusion Compiler

Keysight PathWave ADS

Ansys Electronics Desktop/HFSS

Cadence Allegro

Job description

IBM Research is seeking talented engineers to join the quantum hardware design/simulation team at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY. The team focuses on delivering quantum processor and processor-adjacent designs to meet a variety of internal needs, and develops and drives the methodology to make these designs successful. Design scopes span from exploratory research to production-roadmap quantum processor unit development. Working in Research means joining a team that accelerates discovery at the intersection of high-performance computing, AI, quantum, and cloud. You'll collaborate with leading scientists, engineers, and visionaries to push boundaries and turn ideas into reality. With a culture built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, IBM Research offers the opportunity to grow your career while contributing to breakthroughs that transform industries and change the world.

Your role and responsibilities

The successful candidate will join IBM's quantum processor unit (QPU) design team, contributing directly both to processor designs (consisting of networks of interconnected/coupled qubits with the full infrastructure for control/readout) and testsite designs in support of innovation breakthroughs for QPU technologies. The role includes deep involvement at all levels of design tapeouts using both industry-standard and custom design tools, as well as methodology research and development for QPU and quantum hardware design.

The successful candidate will be expected to grow rapidly into ownership of key design flow steps, including methodology ownership, and be comfortable managing cross-team interactions spanning physics, hardware and software engineering, fabrication, and test. Strong communication skills, initiative, and a track record of ownership are key requirements.

Applicants are expected to have experience with relevant hardware development tools such as Keysight PathWave ADS, Ansys Electronics Desktop/HFSS, Cadence Virtuoso/Spectre, Synopsys Custom Compiler/PrimeSim, Cadence Allegro etc.. They are also expected to have low-level experience with Linux-based software infrastructure and basic system administration concepts.

Candidates with direct, hands-on experience participating in complex tapeouts or chip-design-adjacent activities (high-performance packaging design/analysis, complex test/characterization, design methodology development etc.) are highly preferred. Familiarity with IC fabrication tools, quantum device design and/or quantum computing engineering is a bonus, but NOT required.

Responsibilities will include:

• Participation in design releases for QPUs and related testsites
• Connectivity/schematic capture for quantum hardware releases
• Participation in layout construction and/or chip finishing for quantum hardware releases
• EM simulation and model development for quantum hardware components and full designs
• Methodology development, focusing on quantum-specific microwave design flows

Required education

Master's Degree

Preferred education

Doctorate Degree

Required technical and professional expertise

Required technical skills:

• RF/microwave/IC design tooling (e.g, Cadence Virtuoso/Innovus, Synopsys Custom Compiler/Fusion Compiler/IC Compiler II/Design Computer, Keysight PathWave ADS) or PCB design (Cadence Allegro, Siemens Xpedition, Altium Designer etc.)
• Microwave engineering
• Experience with electromagnetic simulations
• Schematic-driven mask layout experience (e.g, in Cadence Virtuoso, Synopsys Custom Compiler, Keysight PathWave ADS)
• Linux/Unix fluency: use as primary development environment, tool setup, and troubleshooting
• Version control (e.g., Git) and standard development tooling
• Python proficiency, other languages a plus
• Ability to write maintainable, documented, reusable code in a collaborative setting

Preferred technical and professional experience

Preferred skills:

• Experience with any quantum computing hardware
• Quantum physics
• Tapeout/tapeout-adjacent experience in deep submicron CMOS or III-V technologies
• CMOS EDA fluency
• RFIC design
• System-on-chip/ASIC design experience
• Technical project leadership experience

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT

IBM Research is the organic growth engine of IBM and an innovation engine for our customers and partners. As part of this mission, IBM Research anticipates and examines 'What's Next in Computing' to ultimately create and integrate the technologies the world relies upon to solve big challenges and unlock new opportunities. We create and pioneer new markets for IBM, our partners and customers as exemplified in our ongoing quest to reach practical and large-scale quantum computing. Across IBM Research, we realize the power and potential to accelerate discovery with our partners and clients by combining the power of high performance computing, AI, and Quantum, all integrated through the hybrid cloud.

YOUR LIFE @ IBM

In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.

Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.

Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.

Are you ready to be an IBMer?

ABOUT IBM

IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.

Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.

At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.

IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.

OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS

IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to:

- Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well being

- Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long- term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance based salary incentive programs

- Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law

- Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI-driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry-recognized certifications to achieve their career goals

- Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences

We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.

This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.

The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.