Lead Physicist - Ion Generation
Position: Lead Physicist – Ion Generation. Location: College Park, Maryland, USA. Type: Full-time | Hybrid/ On-site (min. 4 days/week). This Job is posted by Quantum Jobs USA, on the behalf of IonQ Careers.
Responsibilities:
- Design and perform experiments to characterize the ablation performance of new Barium targets.
- Collaborate with external materials science partners to advance ion source materials.
- Work closely with the ion trap and packaging teams to improve opto-mechanical components used in ablation and ionization systems.
- Propose and execute strategies to scale up rapid ion chain loading to support hundreds of qubits.
Qualifications:
- PhD in Physics, Physical Chemistry, Optics, or related discipline with deep expertise in experimental atomic physics.
- Demonstrated hands-on experience with laser-cooled neutral atom or ion experiments;
- Proficiency in one or more of the following: laser ablation, photoionization, atomic beams, ion trapping, or cryogenics.
- Strong technical communication skills and experience documenting experimental work.
Preferred:
- Practical experience with surface-electrode ion traps and precision measurements.
- Deep understanding of laser ablation techniques for atom/molecule vaporization.
- Background in chemistry, metallurgy, or materials science;
- Engineering/system design experience in transitioning research systems into scalable technologies.
- History of working in interdisciplinary teams (mechanical, optical, electrical, software);
- 3+ years of postdoctoral or industry research experience.