Professional Research Assistant

About the role

The Professional Research Assistant will contribute to a team which is attempting to design, build, and operate the world’s first optical network of superconducting quantum computers. This interdisciplinary project entails the design and construction of nonlinear optical systems capable of generating quantum states of light, precision measurements of those states, and the distribution of this light as an entanglement resource. At the nodes of the network, novel microwave-optical transducers operating in a cryogenic environment will establish the vital interconnect with the qubit states of the superconducting quantum processors. Through a NIST cleanroom fabrication effort, the transducers are being engineered into reliable, modular, telecom-ready devices.

Responsibilities

• Design and construction of entangled photon pair sources to generate non-classical, squeezed states of light, non-Gaussian states of light, and quantum entangled light.
• Implementation of quantum measurement protocols such as quantum feed forward to reduce measurement noise below classical limits.
• Design and construction of stable opto-mechanic launch systems to efficiently couple non-classical light into and out of cryogenic optical cavity systems.
• Implementation of feed-back control systems to stabilize optical frequency, phase, polarization, and mechanical motion for coherent optical interactions and measurements.
• Performance of precision optical homodyne tomography and correlated noise measurements of quantum optical states to quantify their suitability for network operation.
• Provide technical input to research problems which have been recognized as critical obstacles to progress in quantum networking.
• Prepare journal manuscripts, attend research conferences, and present technical results.
• Work as a member of a collaborative, interdisciplinary team.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a field of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
• Knowledge of physics, electrical engineering, computer science, and/or quantum information theory.
• Experience with measurement equipment such as signal generators, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, electrical amplifiers, photodetectors, power meters, Fabry-Perot cavities, and lock-in detectors and feedback circuits.
• Familiarity with precision optical, electrical, and microwave measurement techniques.
• Knowledge of cryogenics and dilution refrigerator operating principles is advantageous.
• Ability to write code with MATLAB, LabView, and Python is required.
• Familiarity with optical design software (e.g. Zemax, Code V, OSLO), mechanical design software (e.g. COMSOL), or microwave design software (e.g. HFSS, AWS) is desirable.
• Experience with electrical circuit design, soldering, and debugging is required.
• Familiarity with opto-mechanic design, computer-aided design, and machine shop skills is desirable.
• Familiarity with building materials, hardware, and basic construction and assembly methods.
• Comfortable working with hands doing manual tasks.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of physics, electrical engineering, computer science, and/or quantum information theory.
• Experience with measurement equipment such as signal generators, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, electrical amplifiers, photodetectors, power meters, Fabry-Perot cavities, and lock-in detectors and feedback circuits.
• Familiarity with precision optical, electrical, and microwave measurement techniques.
• Knowledge of cryogenics and dilution refrigerator operating principles is advantageous.
• Ability to write code with MATLAB, LabView, and Python is required.
• Familiarity with optical design software (e.g. Zemax, Code V, OSLO), mechanical design software (e.g. COMSOL), or microwave design software (e.g. HFSS, AWS) is desirable.
• Experience with electrical circuit design, soldering, and debugging is required.
• Familiarity with opto-mechanic design, computer-aided design, and machine shop skills is desirable.
• Familiarity with building materials, hardware, and basic construction and assembly methods.
• Comfortable working with hands doing manual tasks.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Skills

• Knowledge of physics, electrical engineering, computer science, and/or quantum information theory.
• Experience with measurement equipment such as signal generators, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, electrical amplifiers, photodetectors, power meters, Fabry-Perot cavities, and lock-in detectors and feedback circuits.
• Familiarity with precision optical, electrical, and microwave measurement techniques.
• Knowledge of cryogenics and dilution refrigerator operating principles is advantageous.
• Ability to write code with MATLAB, LabView, and Python is required.
• Familiarity with optical design software (e.g. Zemax, Code V, OSLO), mechanical design software (e.g. COMSOL), or microwave design software (e.g. HFSS, AWS) is desirable.
• Experience with electrical circuit design, soldering, and debugging is required.
• Familiarity with opto-mechanic design, computer-aided design, and machine shop skills is desirable.
• Familiarity with building materials, hardware, and basic construction and assembly methods.
• Comfortable working with hands doing manual tasks.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Benefits

• Salary range for this full-time position is $54,000 - $78,000 annually.

Pay

• Salary range for this full-time position is $54,000 - $78,000 annually.

Schedule

• Employment is contingent upon approval of the NAIS agreement and federal security clearance as mandated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
• Anticipated start date is September 19, 2026.
• Anticipated end date is September 17, 2027.