Quantum System Performance Senior Scientist

• Introduction
• You will be defining and ensuring execution on the roadmap for characterization and calibration methodologies, establishing best practices and guiding their implementation across the team.

You will serve as a key technical voice in cross-functional discussions amongst quantum measurement scientists, analog and digital signal engineers, theoretical physicists, demonstration experimentalists, and software developers — bringing both scientific depth and strategic perspective to fast-moving, high-stakes programs. Strong communication skills, technical rigor, and a high sense of ownership are essential.

• Your role and responsibilities
• The successful candidate will join a team of scientists and engineers as a senior technical leader in a highly collaborative effort to advance the performance of IBM Quantum systems toward large-scale demonstrations of quantum advantage and error correction.

In this role, you will set the technical direction for performance optimization across superconducting (SC) quantum processors — driving the identification and resolution of systemic performance gaps through rigorous quantum measurement design, analysis, and calibration strategy.

• Required technical and professional expertise
• Deep, demonstrated expertise in quantum measurement and characterization techniques, with a strong publication or delivery record.
• Proven ability to define and drive technical roadmaps in an experimental quantum computing environment.
• Ability to operate as a senior technical contributor — influencing direction, mentoring scientists and engineers, and elevating team-wide standards.
• Preferred technical and professional experience
• Expert-level Python skills, including large-scale data analysis and measurement automation pipelines.
• Extensive hands-on experience with RF/microwave design and characterization at device, PCB, and/or wiring levels.
• Significant experimental research experience with superconducting qubits, particularly in system-level performance optimization and calibration.
• Experience shaping or contributing to multi-quarter technical roadmaps for quantum hardware performance.
• Cryogenic RF/microwave design and characterization at scale.
• Experience working closely with theorists to translate models into actionable experiments.
• Experience with agentic AI coding tools and quantum circuit frameworks such as Qiskit.

IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.