Lead Quantum Engineer, Systems Performance at Rigetti (Berkeley)
Job Description
Rigetti is hiring a Lead Quantum Engineer for its Systems Performance team in Berkeley, to lead a cross-functional group building the next generation of its quantum hardware and to help shape the company’s technical roadmap.
At a glance
- Role: Lead Quantum Engineer, Systems Performance
- Where: Berkeley, California, USA
- Level: PhD, with prior industry or start-up experience and technical leadership
- Focus: performance and scalability of superconducting qubit systems
- Apply: open until filled (re-checked 12 October 2026)
About the systems performance lead
- Design, build and lead cross-functional experimental programmes that inform the technical roadmap and drive system-level improvements
- Propose and explore new technical directions for performance and scalability
- Identify and close complex gaps in existing technology, leading engineers and scientists to mitigate them
- Own the delivery of key quantum hardware technologies
In superconducting quantum processors, the quality of two-qubit gates and the performance of the whole system set how deep a computation can run before errors take over. Improving them requires careful experiments, error budgeting and feedback between device design, fabrication and control.
What Rigetti is looking for
- A PhD in physics, applied physics, electrical engineering or a related field
- A prior technical role in industry or a start-up, and demonstrated technical leadership
- Direct experience with cryogenic systems and RF measurement techniques
- Extensive hands-on experience with time-domain measurement and superconducting quantum devices
- A record of meaningful achievements in quantum science, working Python, teamwork and excellent communication
Nice to have
- Strong coding skills
- Familiarity with circuit QED simulation tools
Pay and location
Rigetti’s posting does not state a salary. The role is based in Berkeley, California.
How to apply
Apply through the official Rigetti job posting. Rigetti’s posting does not give a closing date, so the role is open until filled; ResearchJobs.in will re-check this listing on 12 October 2026. Check the posting for location and work-authorisation details before you apply.
See all our quantum technology jobs, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: Rigetti Computing
Official advertisement: jobs.lever.co
How to prepare for this application
- Roadmap thinking: prepare a view on what most limits superconducting system performance today and how you would attack it.
- Leadership: describe a cross-functional programme you led and how you kept it on track.
- Cryogenic and RF depth: be ready for detailed questions on wiring, filtering and measurement chains.
- Time-domain experiments: walk through a qubit characterisation you ran end to end.
- Track record: pick two results from different institutions that show range.
About Rigetti Computing
Rigetti Computing, founded in 2013, is a full-stack quantum computing company that has offered quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 to enterprise, government and research clients. It designs and makes its superconducting chips in-house at Fab-1, which it describes as the industry's first dedicated quantum device manufacturing facility, and employs more than 150 people in the United States, the UK and Australia.
