Senior Research Scientist, Fault-Tolerant Quantum Algorithms at IonQ
Job Description
IonQ is hiring a Senior Research Scientist in fault-tolerant quantum algorithms. The role sits in a client-facing team that finds, defines and solves problems of real-world interest, with an eye on the machines of millions of qubits and billions of gates that fault tolerance will make possible.
At a glance
- Role: Senior Research Scientist, fault-tolerant quantum algorithms
- Where: College Park, MD or Bothell, WA (onsite or hybrid); Toronto and Gothenburg offices; or fully remote in the US
- Pay: US$145,920–191,047 base, plus bonus and equity
- Experience: 2+ years, or an equivalent mix of education and experience
- Apply: open until filled (re-checked 11 October 2026)
About the fault-tolerant quantum algorithms role
- Develop fault-tolerant quantum solutions with large scientific and commercial impact across industries
- Work in a client-facing team that defines and solves real-world problems on IonQ’s trapped-ion computers
- Compare fault-tolerant, near-term (NISQ) and classical HPC algorithms, and contribute metrics and tools to evaluate them
- Develop foundational intellectual property and publish in high-impact journals and conferences
What IonQ is looking for
- Documented expertise in fault-tolerant quantum algorithms with a clear path to customer value
- Ability to contribute tools (libraries, simulators, compilers), metrics (cost, resource estimation, return on investment) and ecosystem work to the community
- Dedication to optimising algorithm accuracy and time-to-solution, in theory and in implementation
- A track record shown through talks, repositories, licences, publications or patents, and strong teamwork
Nice to have
- A PhD in computer science, mathematics, engineering, physics or a related field
- Experience with government contracts
- C++, Python and Qiskit or a similar quantum SDK
- Benchmarking quantum algorithms, working directly with customers, and hybrid solutions in production or cloud settings (CI/CD a plus)
Pay and location
The approximate base salary is US$145,920–191,047, plus bonus, equity and benefits. The posting lists offices in College Park, Maryland; Bothell, Washington; Toronto; and Gothenburg, or fully remote work in the US.
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.
Looking for more roles like this? Browse our research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: IonQ
Official advertisement: job-boards.greenhouse.io
How to prepare for this interview
- Resource estimation: be fluent in logical-qubit counts, T-gate counts and error-correction overheads, and how they translate into runtime.
- Core algorithms: revise quantum phase estimation, qubitisation and QSVT, and Hamiltonian simulation methods.
- Honest comparisons: prepare a worked example comparing a fault-tolerant approach with the best classical method for the same problem.
- Customer framing: practise turning a vague industry question into a well-defined computational problem.
- Portfolio: share code repositories or papers where your contribution is clear.
About IonQ
IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) builds trapped-ion quantum computers and describes itself as a quantum platform company working across computing, networking, sensing and security. It is headquartered in College Park, Maryland, with operations in several US states and in Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada and the United Kingdom, and its quantum computers are available through the major cloud providers.
