Summer 2027 Internship - Quantum Software (QSW)

Infleqtion•Chicago, IL

10d

About The Position

This 10-to-12-week internship is within Infleqtion’s Quantum Software (QSW) division. Interns work closely with Quantum Software Engineers and are paired with a team mentor. The program includes contributions to quantum software solutions spanning application and middleware layers, weekly one-on-one mentor meetings focused on summer projects and professional development, and research talks from Infleqtion engineers and industry experts. The primary internship location is Chicago, Illinois. The intern conducts research and development focused on quantum compilation, deploys software optimizations to the Superstaq cloud platform, and collaborates with customers, experimental physicists, and software engineers. The role may also involve supporting proposals and global programs, publishing and presenting research, following developments in quantum computing, and developing or applying quantum algorithms to real-world problems.

Requirements

Currently attending a degree program in the United States in computer science, engineering, physics, mathematics, or a directly related field.
Preferably in the penultimate academic year, with plans to return to the degree program after the internship.
High proficiency in programming, preferably fluency in Python; alternatively, proficiency in a language such as C/C++ or Julia and the ability to rapidly learn Python.

Nice To Haves

Experience with open-source quantum software frameworks such as Cirq or Qiskit; experience modifying these libraries is especially desirable.
Experience with advanced open-source quantum software frameworks such as Stim.
Familiarity with professional software engineering practices, including code coverage, integration tests, type checking, unit tests, and version control.
Backend development experience with tools such as FastAPI and PostgreSQL/SQLAlchemy.
Cloud development experience, especially with GCP and AWS.
Familiarity with CI/CD, automated actions, issue tracking, version control, and other GitHub features.
Familiarity with security best practices such as access control, encryption at rest, key rotation, and logging.
Exposure to or interest in front-end or GUI development, such as HTML/CSS, React, or PyQt.

Responsibilities

Conduct research and development toward advances in quantum technology, with a focus on quantum compilation.
Deploy software optimizations to the Superstaq cloud platform using professional software engineering practices, including documentation, linting, testing, and type-checking.
Interface with Superstaq customers to understand their needs and provide timely support.
Contribute to government and commercial proposals and their execution on global programs.
Collaborate with experimental physicists and software engineers to connect theoretical concepts with practical implementation.
Publish research findings in scientific journals and present them at conferences.
Stay current with developments in quantum computer architecture, quantum compilation, quantum algorithms and applications, and related fields.
Provide guidance and support to team members and foster a collaborative research environment.
Tailor and apply quantum algorithms to real-world problems and analyze their performance compared with classical methods.
Expand existing quantum algorithms or develop new ones for real-world applications.