Quantum Benchmarking Initiative Researcher

Position: Quantum Benchmarking Initiative Researcher

Salary Range: $75,000–$150,000 annually. This is a full‑time exempt position.

Remote work is expected; travelers will be required to visit Washington, DC, and other sites 10%–40% of each month.

Frequent video‑conference meetings across time zones and occasional non‑standard work hours may be necessary.

Responsibilities and Duties

The day‑to‑day activities of DARPA’s QBI team include identifying, selecting, capturing, evaluating, and documenting the metrics and approaches that DARPA’s commercial performers are developing to build fault‑tolerant, utility‑scale quantum computers (USQC).

The QBI team is responsible for generating and executing plans to assess the timeline, performance, operation metrics, and plausibility of each performer’s technology.

The successful candidate will verify a performer’s ability to build a USQC that operates as intended, and will document, report, and justify the findings.

• Review and Evaluation
• Rapidly digest large quantities of complex performer‑specific technical details, perform independent evaluations, and generate standardized government artifacts summarizing assessments.
• Evaluate quantum computing architectures, devices, algorithms, and applications, including utility and maturity.
• Identify performer subsystems and components required to successfully design and construct the system.
• Discover, develop, implement, execute, evaluate, analyze, articulate, and justify models and simulations at the component, subsystem, and system levels.
• Assess DARPA and performer requirements; capture and document the maturity level of these elements.
• Identify, assess, and capture design, development, and integration risk.

• Identify the performer’s interface approach

• For efforts with an existing Interface Control Document (ICD), review the information and identify shortcomings.

It may be necessary to convert the performer‑provided ICD to a common framework identified or developed by the government evaluation team.

• For performer efforts that do not have an existing ICD, assist the performer in tracking system interfaces through an ICD or similar document.
• Documentation and Reporting
• Assist non‑traditional performers to complete design reviews.
• Participate in system concept and readiness reviews.
• Perform prototype subsystem System Requirements Review (SRR) through Final Design Review (FDR) and prototype construction.
• Assist with diverse evaluation and documentation activities.
• Identify, implement, and apply standardized government and systems engineering products, practices, and documentation.
• Professionalism and Teamwork
• Work with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, physicists, scientists, engineers, and subject‑matter experts to identify problems and synthesize solutions that can be integrated into pre‑existing workflows and processes.
• Discover, develop, and lead novel workflows to enhance and improve evaluation processes as new performers are added to the program.
• Cultivate a professional and respectful environment of cooperation by listening and considering the views of others.
• Seek opportunities for collaboration with personnel from other functional units (finance, contracting, etc.) and other technical areas of participating organizations to accomplish work‑related activities.

Education and Certifications

Minimum: Bachelor’s Degree in a Science, Mathematics or Engineering discipline from an accredited college or university.

Preferred: Master of Science or Ph D in Engineering, Logistics, Computer Science/Engineering, Operations Research, or a related field.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of professional experience in physics, mathematics, computer engineering, operations research or a closely related position is a plus.
• Knowledge and experience with photonic principles, devices and circuits, integrated photonic chips, and similar technologies.
• Knowledge and experience with superconductor principles, devices and circuits, integrated superconductor chips, and similar technologies.
• Knowledge and experience with other viable quantum information modalities, such as solid‑state devices, atomic systems, etc., for scalable quantum computation.
• Knowledge and experience with standard systems engineering frameworks and practices (Sys ML, Do DAF, etc.); experience with Do E SE practices is a plus.
• Familiar with typical Do D reviews, including technical review products and organizational structure.
• Experience with development/execution of modeling and simulation tools and related software tools and techniques.
• Ability to leverage mathematics and statistics to analyze, visualize, and explain complex and unstructured data.
• Comfortable speaking to diverse audiences; capable of organizing and conveying abstract or complex ideas and concepts.
• Able to expediently generate focused and detailed work product based on evolving or nebulous task requests.
• Understand USAF/Do D structure and current strategic guidance; able to follow and respect the chain of command.
• Comfortable engaging in frequent and recurring video teleconference meetings (camera on).
• Must be capable of working independently to produce timely products, with a mindset that embraces flexibility required to define and follow procedures for DARPA’s new and evolving QBI program.
• Advanced Knowledge of Quantum Computing (Plus)
• Experience planning, performing, and conducting experimental quantum research using computer simulations and mathematical models.
• Specific experience with quantum computing hardware, especially valuable if it involves multiple qubit modalities.
• Specific experience developing quantum algorithms designed for fault‑tolerant quantum computers.
• Expertise in quantum resource estimation tools and techniques for analyzing quantum circuits.
• Experience or academic background in quantum error correction and quantum fault tolerance.
• Background Check

Applicants selected will be subject to a background investigation, which must be deemed favorable to maintain employment.

Benefits

• Health, life, disability, dental, and vision insurance coverage.
• 401(k) plan with 3% company contribution and 3% company match.
• Paid Time Off, including a day off for your birthday; 11 federal holidays per year; three weeks paid maternity/paternity leave.
• Annual technology allowances.
• Referral bonuses, professional recognition awards, healthcare stipends, tuition/education reimbursement (subject to specific requirements).
• Flexible daily start and stop times for most projects and positions.
• Company Description

Technergetics is a U.

S.‑based company headquartered in Utica, NY, with employees and clients located throughout the country.

The Utica/Rome area is a hub of cutting‑edge cyber‑technology research, bolstered by the Griffiss Business & Technology Park’s tenants and facilities, including the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL).

Technergetics works with a wide variety of technologies, including mobile and web apps, quantum computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence, AI‑enabled edge devices, and many more.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

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