Research Intern 2027 – Quantum-HPC Integration

Introduction

At IBM Research, we push the boundaries of what’s possible in computing: advancing AI, hybrid cloud, high‑performance computing, and quantum computing. Our teams explore the fundamental challenges that will define the next era of computational science.

As part of IBM Quantum you will join a multidisciplinary group working at the intersection of state‑of‑the‑art HPC systems and emerging quantum processors. Our culture values curiosity, creativity, and scientific rigor, offering unique opportunities to develop the software that will support the future of compute while growing professionally within a team that defines cutting-edge technology.

Your role and responsibilities

We are seeking interns to build integration software enabling hybrid quantum-HPC workflows, resource management systems, and interfaces that orchestrate workloads across classical and quantum compute backends. Possible projects include the following:

• Design, develop, and implement components of workflow orchestration software and libraries for hybrid quantum-HPC systems.

• Design and develop resource management, scheduling, and workload coordination APIs across distributed systems.

• Define, implement, and evolve robust interfaces between HPC job schedulers (e.g., Slurm, LSF) and quantum runtimes.

• Develop tools in Python, Rust, and C to support interoperability, data movement, workflow resilience, and runtime monitoring.

Interns could be expected to perform the following duties:

• Collaborate with system architects, HPC engineers, and quantum software teams, as well as external researchers, to align workflows with system capabilities and performance goals.

• Participate in open-source development workflows including documentation, testing, design reviews, and release processes.

• Contribute to internal engineering practices such as CI/CD, performance instrumentation, and interface design.

Required technical and professional expertise

• Proficiency in Python and experience with modern software engineering practices

• Proficiency in at least one systems programming language (e.g., C, C++, Rust)

• Collaborative mindset

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Hands-on experience with HPC software (e.g., OpenMP, MPI, GPU) and resource managers (e.g., Slurm, PBS, Grid Engine)

• Experience with quantum computing frontends and related ecosystems (e.g., Qiskit, OpenQASM, CUDA-Q)

• Able to serve as a bridge between various research organizations, clients, and vendors

• Ability to understand user requirements, implement and release software accordingly, and manage post-release maintenance including feature enhancements and bug fixes

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.