Senior Quantum Hardware Design Engineer

Introduction

IBM Research is seeking talented engineers to join the quantum hardware design/simulation team at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY. The team focuses on delivering quantum processor and processor-adjacent designs to meet a variety of internal needs, and develops and drives the methodology to make these designs successful. Design scopes span from exploratory research to production-roadmap quantum processor unit development. Working in Research means joining a team that accelerates discovery at the intersection of high-performance computing, AI, quantum, and cloud. You'll collaborate with leading scientists, engineers, and visionaries to push boundaries and turn ideas into reality. With a culture built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, IBM Research offers the opportunity to grow your career while contributing to breakthroughs that transform industries and change the world.

Your role and responsibilities

The successful candidate will join IBM's quantum processor unit (QPU) design team, contributing directly both to processor designs (consisting of networks of interconnected/coupled qubits with the full infrastructure for control/readout) and testsite designs in support of innovation breakthroughs for QPU technologies. The role includes deep involvement at all levels of design tapeouts using both industry-standard and custom design tools, as well as methodology research and development for QPU and quantum hardware design.

The successful candidate will be expected to grow rapidly into ownership of key design flow steps, including methodology ownership, and be comfortable managing cross-team interactions spanning physics, hardware and software engineering, fabrication, and test. Strong communication skills, initiative, and a track record of ownership are key requirements.

Applicants are expected to have experience with relevant hardware development tools such as Keysight PathWave ADS, Ansys Electronics Desktop/HFSS, Cadence Virtuoso/Spectre, Synopsys Custom Compiler/PrimeSim, Cadence Allegro etc.. They are also expected to have low-level experience with Linux-based software infrastructure and basic system administration concepts.

Candidates with direct, hands-on experience participating in complex tapeouts or chip-design-adjacent activities (high-performance packaging design/analysis, complex test/characterization, design methodology development etc.) are highly preferred. Familiarity with IC fabrication tools, quantum device design and/or quantum computing engineering is a bonus, but NOT required.

Responsibilities will include:

• Participation in design releases for QPUs and related testsites

• Connectivity/schematic capture for quantum hardware releases

• Participation in layout construction and/or chip finishing for quantum hardware releases

• EM simulation and model development for quantum hardware components and full designs

• Methodology development, focusing on quantum-specific microwave design flows

Required technical and professional expertise

Required technical skills:

• RF/microwave/IC design tooling (e.g, Cadence Virtuoso/Innovus, Synopsys Custom Compiler/Fusion Compiler/IC Compiler II/Design Computer, Keysight PathWave ADS) or PCB design (Cadence Allegro, Siemens Xpedition, Altium Designer etc.)

• Microwave engineering

• Experience with electromagnetic simulations

• Schematic-driven mask layout experience (e.g, in Cadence Virtuoso, Synopsys Custom Compiler, Keysight PathWave ADS)

• Linux/Unix fluency: use as primary development environment, tool setup, and troubleshooting

• Version control (e.g., Git) and standard development tooling

• Python proficiency, other languages a plus

• Ability to write maintainable, documented, reusable code in a collaborative setting

Preferred technical and professional experience

Preferred skills:

• Experience with any quantum computing hardware

• Quantum physics

• Tapeout/tapeout-adjacent experience in deep submicron CMOS or III-V technologies

• CMOS EDA fluency

• RFIC design

• System-on-chip/ASIC design experience

• Technical project leadership experience

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.