Staff Scientist – Quantum Applications

Location: This role is based onsite at our headquarters in College Park, MD.
Travel: 10% domestic and international
Job ID: 1490 

The Role: 

We are looking for a Staff Scientist – Quantum Applications to lead the technical development in utilizing IonQ’s quantum computers to create highly differentiated quantum solutions that will bring value to society. As a Staff Scientist – Quantum Applications, you will be part of the new Quantum Applications team based in College Park, Maryland , you will be a key link to the University of Maryland ecosystem, serving as a bridge to collaborate with world-class faculty and researchers both at UMD and at institutions globally.

You will operate at the intersection of two frontiers: pushing the boundaries of cutting-edge academic research on latest quantum hardwares and developing the next generation of quantum algorithms poised to solve real-world problems better than state-of-the-art classical methods. You will play a key role in developing core IP, computational resource models, long-term roadmaps and end-to-end workflows that have the potential to disrupt the field of computing. You will also work closely with product, engineering, marketing, sales, operations, and external customers/partners to brainstorm new ideas, propose complex, multi-year initiatives and represent IonQ at high-visibility technical conferences (often all in a single day)!

Responsibilities:

• Practical Algorithm Innovation: Lead the hands-on development of Fault-Tolerant Application-Scale Quantum (FASQ) algorithms designed to scale for real-world impact. You will emphasize "hardware-aware" FASQ, ensuring research is rooted in the constraints of practical early fault-tolerant systems to drive scientific and commercial breakthroughs.
• Full-Stack & Hardware-Centric Optimization: Work directly with quantum compiler, cloud, and hardware engineering teams to build highly optimized hybrid workflows specifically tuned for IonQ’s trapped-ion architecture. Your goal is to make the best use of available quantum hardware for proof-of-principle demonstrations and experiments, moving beyond abstract error correction theory.
• Rigorous Algorithm Analysis: Conduct deep technical evaluations comparing quantum algorithms of interest against relevant state-of-the-art classical algorithms. You will identify the specific performance characteristics and scaling behaviors that define the boundary between classical and quantum capabilities.
• Academic Strategy & Advocacy: Act as a primary advocate for IonQ’s academic presence by actively engaging with the UMD faculties. You will guide, propose, and initiate impactful academic research projects that carry significant industrial weight and commercial potential.
• IP & External Influence: Build a robust portfolio of foundational IP and high-impact-factor, peer-reviewed publications. You will represent IonQ’s technical vision at major conferences and in high-level discussions with external stakeholders, emphasizing our path to practical, application-scale quantum advantage.

Requirements:

• Advanced Academic & Professional Background: Doctorate degree in Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, or another STEM domain, or equivalent work experience plus 3+ years of professional work experience in the quantum computin