Senior Staff Scientist – Fault-Tolerant Quantum Algorithms

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 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.

Job Description:

We are looking for a Senior Staff Scientist – Fault-Tolerant Quantum Algorithms to help lead the technical development of highly differentiated quantum solutions that will bring value to society. As a Senior Staff Scientist – Fault-Tolerant Quantum Algorithms, you’ll guide a cross-functional team whose mandate is central to IonQ’s mission to solve the world’s most complex problems using the world’s best quantum computers.

As a technical leader in the field of fault-tolerant algorithms, you will help discover the next generation of quantum applications that will exceed state-of-the-art classical methods. You will be a core member of technical leadership in quantum algorithms, and you will drive research into new quantum algorithms and develop 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.

Responsibilities:

• Influence the quantum applications roadmap towards fault-tolerant quantum algorithms that will make a large scientific and commercial impact by leading the origination, execution, and optimization of novel, end-to-end quantum algorithms. Guide other team members towards this goal.
• Perform detailed resource analyses of quantum algorithms and perform SWOT analysis of FTQC approaches compared to NISQ and/or classical methods.
• Provide trusted expertise and leadership in FTQC algorithms and communicate the current state-of-the-art, scaling behaviors, trade offs, cross-over points, etc. to stakeholders across the company.
• Lead technical interactions across multi-disciplinary teams to identify, define and solve challenging real-world problems using IonQ trapped-ion quantum computers.
• Define, develop, and drive adoption of industry-leading benchmarking and resource estimation methodologies, metrics, and tools.
• Develop portfolio of foundational IP and high-impact-factor peer-reviewed publications; represent IonQ externally with customer/clients and at conferences.

You’d be a good fit with:

• PhD in physics, mathematics, computer science, or similar field, or comparable field or equivalent work experience + 5 years of professional experience.