Senior Quantum Simulation Engineer

Microsoft • Santa Barbara, CA

15h

About The Position

Microsoft Quantum has assembled a talented, diverse international team to build the world’s first scalable quantum computing system. Our full‑stack approach spans innovation from the physics of the quantum plane to the delivery of global quantum services. The Microsoft Quantum program aims to fundamentally transform computing to help solve some of humanity’s most intractable problems as we enter an accelerated era of quantum advancement.
We are seeking talented, focused individuals to help deliver useful quantum computers. Microsoft is pursuing topological qubits for large‑scale quantum computing and partnering with a growing ecosystem of companies to advance quantum systems across every layer of the stack and bring them to market through the Microsoft Quantum accelerator platform. We believe AI can speed the development of useful quantum computers and shorten the path to their realization. For more information about the Microsoft Quantum team, please visit https://quantum.microsoft.com/
As a Senior Quantum Simulation Engineer, you will develop and refine advanced simulation methods to model qubit dynamics and error processes to deliver actionable insights that guide qubit designs and operational protocols. You’ll collaborate closely with system, measurement, and quantum error correction teams in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary environment, working alongside world-class engineers and scientists to push the boundaries of quantum technology.
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.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment OR Master's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment OR Doctorate in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 1+ 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 or Export Administration Regulations, 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 work in an “AI-first” environment using modern AI tools to accelerate discovery through both hardware and software development.
• 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).

Nice To Haves

• Doctorate in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 3+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment (completion of a postdoctoral research position may be included) OR Master's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment OR Bachelor's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment OR equivalent experience
• Research experience in quantum computation in a commercial or academic setting.
• Familiarity with numerical methods for simulating qubit devices.
• Experienced at communicating complex ideas and concepts to audiences with varying domain knowledge.
• Background in quantum error correction and qubit error models.
• Experience modeling the dynamics of open quantum systems.
• Proficiency with high performance computing environments.
• Experience with collaborative code development in Python or Julia.

Responsibilities

• Simulation Development: Define, implement, and refine error models of quantum devices and their operations.
• Validation & Optimization: Develop, test, and validate models, iterating to improve accuracy and performance.
• Predictive Analysis: Compare simulation outcomes with experimental data to ensure reliability and guide improvements.
• Tool Creation: Build and maintain simulation tools, libraries, and modeling systems to support device development.
• Large-Scale Modeling: Conduct simulations to explore the behavior and scalability of a network of qubits.
• Insight Generation: Translate theoretical and simulation results into design decisions and qubit operation strategies.
• Cross-Team Collaboration: Collaborate effectively across teams, demonstrating clear communication.
• Other: Embody our culture and values

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees