Lead Quantum Scientist, Government Programs (QEC)

Riverlane•College Park, MD

9d•$145,000 - $240,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Riverlane is hiring a Lead Quantum Scientist to take technical ownership of strategically important quantum error correction (QEC) research programs in collaboration with government agencies, national laboratories, and major research institutions. The position combines hands-on scientific research with technical leadership: the successful candidate will conduct and shape research, serve as a named technical lead or investigator, deliver agreed program milestones, and act as a senior technical contact for sponsors and partners. The role also involves working directly with quantum hardware partners to design, run, and interpret QEC experiments using Riverlane's software and hardware products, and sharing findings with internal research and product teams. The scientist will collaborate across Riverlane's Research and Engineering organization and help establish the company's Maryland presence. As the team grows, there may be opportunities to mentor researchers and build a small research group around the programs.

Requirements

PhD in physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent professional experience.
Substantial research experience in quantum computing, gained in academia or industry.
Experience taking technical ownership of a project or workstream and delivering on time against agreed milestones.
Experience working with external stakeholders; experience with government agencies, national laboratories, or research consortia is preferred.
Experience designing, running, and analyzing experiments or simulations using research-grade tools.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to discuss complex ideas clearly with varied audiences.
Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, interdisciplinary team and independently when needed.
Willingness to travel within the US, including to partner and national laboratory sites, and occasionally to the UK.
Must be able to obtain a US government security clearance if required.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a named investigator or technical lead on government-funded research programs.
Experience leading collaborations with national laboratories, major research facilities, or government-funded consortia.
Deep expertise in one or more QEC-relevant areas, such as fault-tolerant architectures, decoding algorithms, noise characterization, or system-level performance analysis.
Experience integrating quantum or high-performance computing research with real hardware systems, simulators, or large-scale testbeds.
Exposure to multiple qubit architectures and understanding of their respective QEC considerations.
A track record of securing external funding through competitive grants or program-level proposals.
A strong network across the US quantum computing research landscape.
Experience mentoring, coaching, or supervising early-career researchers or research engineers.

Responsibilities

Lead the technical delivery of government-funded QEC research programs, including ownership of milestones, deliverables, and technical reporting.
Serve as Riverlane's senior technical interface to government agencies, national laboratories, and research partners.
Conceive and conduct original research in quantum error correction and related areas, working hands-on where appropriate.
Work with US partners across varied qubit architectures to design and execute quantum computing experiments using Riverlane's DeltaKit software and tools.
Investigate experimental results, diagnose issues, and work with internal research and product teams to resolve them.
Lead technical contributions to competitive funding proposals and oral evaluations.
Publish research and present results at leading journals, conferences, and technical forums.
Help establish Riverlane's presence in Maryland by building relationships across the local quantum research ecosystem.
Mentor researchers and contribute to Riverlane's research culture and technical excellence.