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Staff Scientist - Materials Science

Bothell, Washington, United States

About IonQ: 

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Tempo, is the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, and AstraZeneca achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.

Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before.  

Location: This role is based at our Bothell, WA office, operating in a hybrid working model. 
Travel: Up to 5%
Job ID: 1757

The Role: 

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world's leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world's most complex problems. IonQ's newest generation quantum computers, IonQ Tempo and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results. The company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025.

The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world's most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ's advancements in quantum networking position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.

We are looking for a Staff Scientist, Materials Science to join the Computational Sciences team at IonQ. This is a newly formed group within Applications R&D, focused on general physics problems in condensed matter and high energy physics alongside combinatorial optimization. You will bring dedicated condensed matter and high energy physics capability into the team, working on problems that today are delivered through a borrowed virtual team drawn from across the organisation.

The work sits at the meeting point of traditional classical simulation and fault-tolerant quantum computing. We are not looking for someone who believes quantum computers will simply replace classical high performance computing. We are looking for a scientist who understands both, and who can judge where each approach earns its place. You will work independently against goals rather than under close direction, and you will help shape how IonQ tackles real scientific problems as the company moves towards fault-tolerant applications.

Responsibilities:

In this position you will lead scientific work on condensed matter and high energy physics problems, connecting them to quantum computation. On the condensed matter side this covers magnetic systems, phase transitions, spintronics, strongly correlated spin dynamics, spin liquids and high temperature superconductivity, including Fermi-Hubbard models, optical conductivity and eta pairing. On the high energy physics side it covers 2+1D systems, lattice QCD and lattice gauge theory.

A particular focus is comparing results computed on quantum computers against experimental data such as neutron scattering, using dynamical structure factors, spectral functions and spin transport. You will pair these quantum approaches with established classical simulation methods rather than treating them as alternatives.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Lead condensed matter and high energy physics application projects, working independently against agreed goals.
  • Connect physics problems to quantum computation, selecting appropriate fault-tolerant algorithms and mapping problems onto quantum-native formulations.
  • Combine classical simulation and HPC workloads with quantum methods in integrated end-to-end workflows.
  • Compare computed results against experimental data, including neutron scattering observables such as dynamical structure factors and spectral functions.
  • Collaborate with the fault-tolerant algorithms, quantum chemistry and software engineering teams, and contribute to publications and external technical representation.

Requirements:

To be successful you will need genuine subject matter depth in condensed matter or high energy physics, combined with a working understanding of how fault-tolerant quantum algorithms are used to solve real problems. You do not need to be an expert in fault-tolerant algorithm design; that expertise sits elsewhere in the organisation. What matters is that you know the existing methods, what they do and how they can be applied. Equally, you do not need to be a professional software engineer. Scientific programming to a level that lets you integrate tools, run them and maintain a code base is what is required. We recognise this combination is uncommon, and we are more interested in strong physics depth with a willingness to grow on the quantum algorithms side than the reverse.

You would be a great fit with:

  • A doctorate in Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science or a related field, with postdoctoral or industry experience. This is not a role for a recent PhD graduate; you must be able to carry research forward independently.
  • Deep expertise in condensed matter or high energy physics: magnetic systems, strongly correlated materials, superconductivity, spin dynamics, Fermi-Hubbard models, lattice gauge theory or related areas.
  • Experience with classical simulation methods and HPC workloads for these problems, ideally including packages such as QuantumATK, QuantumEspresso or VASP, and an understanding of how to integrate classical and quantum approaches.
  • Familiarity with fault-tolerant quantum algorithms and their applications. You should be able to explain what methods such as quantum phase estimation or quantum singular value transformation do and where they apply.
  • Scientific programming in Python and C++ sufficient to integrate tools, run computations and maintain a code base in version control.

Also valuable, though not expected in every applicant: experience comparing simulation results against experimental data such as neutron scattering; hands-on use of classical packages including QuantumATK, QuantumEspresso or VASP; the ability to design novel fault-tolerant algorithms; a peer-reviewed publication record; client or partner facing delivery experience; active participation in the fault-tolerant quantum computing community through tools, metrics, talks, repositories or patents; and familiarity with agentic AI tooling such as OpenAI Codex or Anthropic Claude Code.

The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.

If this role has a commission structure, the compensation range below just reflects the base compensation range.

Wage Transparency:

$174,520 - $250,253 USD

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment. 

At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.
 
We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

 

US Technical Jobs. The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions.  Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying “U.S. Person” (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls.  Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export-controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone.  Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.  

US Non-Technical Jobs. Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.

 

If you are interested in being a part of our team and mission, we encourage you to apply! 

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