Principal Quantum Engineer

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

23h

About The Position

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others, and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond.
At Microsoft Quantum, we aim to empower science and scientists to solve the world’s biggest problems by realizing advanced computing platforms at the intersection of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and quantum information technology. Microsoft Quantum will change the world of computing and help solve some of humankind’s currently unsolvable problems. For more information about our team, visit https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/quantum.
We are seeking a Principal Quantum Engineer with a background in materials, fabrication, and/or electrical characterization of solid state quantum technologies to participate in the research and development of our qubits. This role will have an opportunity to have a meaningful influence on a revolutionary technology. The research effort includes a diverse staff of theoretical and experimental physicists, hardware designers and software engineers around the world.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics or related field AND 8+ years’ experience in industry or in a research and development environment
• OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field AND 6+ years’ experience in industry or in a research and development environment
• OR Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field AND 3+ years’ experience in industry or in a research and development environment
• OR equivalent experience.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:
• Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
• Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This role will require access to information that is controlled for export under export control regulations, potentially under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the EU Dual Use Regulation, and/or other export control regulations. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide either proof of their country of citizenship or proof of their U.S. permanent residency or other protected status (e.g., under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)) for assessment of eligibility to access the export-controlled information. To meet this legal requirement, and as a condition of employment, the successful candidate’s citizenship will be verified with a valid passport. Lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees may verify status using other documents, where applicable.
• Ability to leverage AI tools to drive innovation and efficiency (e.g., performance modeling and analysis, research gathering, day to day task automation).
• Ability to design and build AI agents/copilots that assist with experiment setup, log triage, measurement report generation, protocol templating, and knowledge retrieval (e.g. instrument manuals, design docs)
• Effective interdisciplinary technical communication skills (written and verbal)
• Willingness to take accountability for creating clarity and delivering project success

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field AND 12+ years’ experience in industry or in a research and development environment
• OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field AND 8+ years’ experience in industry or in a research and development environment
• OR Doctorate in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or related field AND 5+ years’ experience in industry or in a research and development environment
• OR equivalent experience.
• 12+ years’ experience (PhD included) with experimental work with growth, fabrication, or measurement of semiconductor devices
• 4+ years’ experience with technical project management
• 4+ years’ experience with solid state quantum technology
• Hands-on experience with industrial statistics techniques
• Experience with superconducting radio-frequency (RF) devices

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional technical work across materials, fabrication, and electrical characterization
• Improve operational efficiency and balance and prioritize resources across projects
• Review data to glean actionable insights to improve device and material performance
• Collaborate effectively across teams, demonstrating clear communication
• Embody our culture and values

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal