Quantum Systems Operations Engineer

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

2d • $102,100 - $219,200

About The Position

The Quantum Systems Operations Engineer owns the operational backbone that supports cryogenic laboratory operations, including material readiness for dilution-refrigerator upgrades and end-to-end vendor operations. The role ensures upgrade kits are staged and complete before installation and maintains vendor processes so transactions do not depend on a single person. The engineer works daily with electrical, mechanical, cryogenic, software, and lab-operations teams, as well as external suppliers.

The position supports Microsoft Quantum’s work combining hardware innovation, software technologies, and Azure services to build scalable quantum technologies. The role may grow to include cryobay requirements ratification and reconciliation of fiscal-year capital-equipment budget actuals, translating stakeholder input into buildable documentation.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Physics, Engineering, or a related field; or bachelor’s degree in one of these fields and at least 2 years of industry or research-and-development experience; or equivalent experience.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.
• Provide proof of citizenship, U.S. permanent residency, or other protected status to verify eligibility to access export-controlled information; citizenship will be verified with a valid passport, with other applicable documents accepted for lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees.

Nice To Haves

• Doctorate in Physics, Engineering, or a related field; or master’s degree in one of these fields and at least 3 years of industry or research-and-development experience; or bachelor’s degree in one of these fields and at least 5 years of industry or research-and-development experience; or equivalent experience.
• At least 2 years supporting cryogenic, radio frequency (RF), or precision-hardware lab operations.
• At least 2 years owning a bill-of-materials or kitting process for hardware assembly or upgrades.
• At least 1 year managing vendor or contingent-staff lifecycle work, including intake, contracts, renewals, and offboarding.
• At least 1 year bridging technical teams and business operations such as procurement, finance, or facilities.
• Ability to use AI tools to drive innovation and efficiency, including measurement, performance modeling and analysis, research gathering, and task automation.
• Ability to work in an AI-first environment using modern AI tools to accelerate discovery through hardware development.

Responsibilities

• Own parts inventory for cryogenic refrigerator upgrades, tracking stock levels, lead times, and reorder points.
• Pick, assemble, and stage upgrade kits for the installation crew based on the engineering team’s bill of materials as refrigerators advance between hardware versions.
• Maintain the inventory system as the single source of truth for items on hand, on order, and committed.
• Manage vendor operations end to end, including intake, budget tracking, records and metadata, contract end dates, fiscal-year renewals, tracker synchronization, and supplier weekly reporting.
• Safeguard sensitive vendor and financial records, including bill rates, contracts, and purchase orders.
• Serve as the operational point of contact aligning suppliers, budget owners, and engagement leads.
• Grow into cryobay requirements ratification and fiscal-year capital-equipment budget-actuals reconciliation, translating stakeholder input into buildable documentation.
• Embody Microsoft’s Culture and Values.

What This Job Offers

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