Senior R&D Scientist, Single-Photon Detectors (SNSPD) at ID Quantique / IonQ (Geneva)
Job Description
ID Quantique (IDQ), advertising through IonQ, is hiring a Senior R&D Scientist for its superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) platform in Geneva. The role is about rethinking and scaling how these advanced photonic devices are tested, possibly moving towards wafer-level testing.
At a glance
- Role: Senior R&D Scientist, SNSPD testing
- Where: Geneva, Switzerland
- Level: MSc or PhD in physics or engineering; 3+ years of experimental experience
- Languages: fluent English; French is a plus
- Apply: open until filled (re-checked 11 October 2026)
About the SNSPD R&D scientist role
- Lead the development of scalable, high-throughput testing strategies for SNSPD devices
- Rethink and optimise characterisation methods, possibly moving to wafer-level testing
- Build and run optical and cryogenic measurement setups
- Analyse complex datasets to guide device design and process improvements, and investigate performance limits
- Work with fabrication, packaging and system teams so tests fit manufacturing flows, and document methods and results
What IonQ is looking for
- A master’s degree in physics, engineering or a closely related field
- 3+ years of experience in experimental physics or a related field, with strong hands-on skills
- Proven experience testing and characterising optical or photonic systems
- A solid grasp of measurement science and metrology, and strong data-analysis skills
- Autonomy combined with good teamwork; fluent English (French a plus)
Nice to have
- A PhD in physics or engineering
- A strong hands-on background in optics or photonics
- 5+ years of industry experience
Pay and location
The posting does not state a salary. The role is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
How to apply
Apply through the official IonQ job posting. IonQ’s posting does not give a closing date, so the role is open until filled; ResearchJobs.in will re-check this listing on 11 October 2026. Check the posting for location and work-authorisation details before you apply.
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Hiring institution: ID Quantique (IonQ)
Official advertisement: job-boards.greenhouse.io
How to prepare for this application
- SNSPD physics: revise how superconducting nanowire detectors work and their key metrics: detection efficiency, dark counts, timing jitter and recovery time.
- Cryogenic measurement: be ready to discuss setups you built at low temperature and how you controlled systematic errors.
- Metrology: explain how you would calibrate detection efficiency traceably.
- Throughput: think about how wafer-level testing would change what can and cannot be measured.
- Data: bring an example of analysis that changed a design or process decision.
About ID Quantique and IonQ
This role is advertised on IonQ's careers site for ID Quantique (IDQ) in Geneva, which develops quantum-safe security and photon-counting products, including superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors. IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) builds trapped-ion quantum computers and works across quantum computing, networking, sensing and security.
