Quantum Scientist and Modeling and Simulation Specialist

Booz Allen Hamilton • Washington, DC

6d • $77,600 - $176,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Quantum Scientist specializing in modeling and simulation will shape the development of a scalable, noise-aware simulation environment for fault-tolerant quantum circuits across diverse hardware models. Working alongside quantum physicists, algorithm designers, and hardware engineers, the role creates fast, adaptable simulation capabilities that keep pace with evolving noise models and quantum error-correction strategies. The work advances algorithm–hardware co-design, validates hardware-specific constraints, and supports exploration of mission-relevant quantum workflows so teams can prototype, test, and refine quantum ideas before they reach hardware.

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in quantum circuit simulation, including quantum error-correction pipelines, decoder simulation, stabilizer formalism, and dynamic circuit primitives.
• Experience in numerical linear algebra, high-performance computing, and parallel programming.
• Experience with quantum-software frameworks such as Qiskit, Cirq, or PennyLane.
• Experience implementing custom noise models and performance-optimized simulation kernels.
• Ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance.
• Doctorate degree in Physics, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or Electrical Engineering.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with tensor-network contraction optimization, circuit-cutting strategies, or scalable density-matrix simulation.
• Experience with hardware calibration protocols and pulse-level simulations.
• Experience collaborating with hardware R&D teams and supporting algorithm–architecture co-design cycles.
• Experience with quantum characterization, verification, and validation (QCVV) techniques.
• Experience facilitating milestone demonstration events.

Responsibilities

• Develop, refine, and validate high-efficiency quantum circuit simulators, including state-vector, tensor-network, and stabilizer workflows.
• Implement noise-aware simulations informed by real-world hardware constraints, including gate errors, decoherence, connectivity, measurement noise, and pulse-level imperfections.
• Integrate mid-circuit measurements, logical decoders, and conditional gates to enable quantum error-correction simulations.
• Collaborate with hardware-facing teams to incorporate hardware-specific noise models, gate sets, connectivity maps, and compilation constraints.
• Provide simulation-based design feedback for logical-level operations, algorithm resource estimation, and performance bottleneck analysis.
• Build scalable simulation pipelines optimized for HPC clusters, GPUs, or distributed systems.
• Integrate simulation frameworks with internal toolchains using Python, Rust, C++, CUDA, and established libraries such as Qiskit, Cirq, PennyLane, and custom tensor-network engines.
• Prototype new simulation methods, including reduced-order models, quasi-probability noise propagation, and hybrid stochastic–deterministic techniques.
• Support business development consistent with mission-aligned efforts.

Benefits

• Health, life, disability, financial, and retirement benefits.
• Paid leave.
• Professional development.
• Tuition assistance.
• Work-life programs.
• Dependent care.
• Recognition awards for exceptional performance and superior demonstration of company values.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree