Staff Experimental Scientist

About the role

We are seeking a new Staff Experimental Scientist to perform critical experimental and hardware development work on Q-CTRL’s atom-interferometry-based quantum gravimeters. Your role will be focussed on reducing hardware risk across a range of our current and next generation sensors.

We need a natural problem solver, someone with outstanding experimental and hardware intuition who can design, assemble, troubleshoot and upgrade complex scientific, optical, mechanical and electrical systems. You are someone who thrives in an R&D environment, handles high-stakes precision hardware with extreme care, and are solutions minded when it comes to research. A key component of this role will be contributing to the development and ruggedisation of our experimental hardware in preparation for deployment onto a range of real world vehicles and platforms.

You will be operating in the crossover of research of ultra precise next generation quantum sensors and the difficulties associated with ensuring their performance and reliability remains exquisite when outside of the lab.

What you’ll be doing:

• Preparation of prototypes for field trials: Design, assemble, operate, test, modify and ruggedise complex experimental prototypes for reliable field deployment
• Conduct prototype deployments: Participate in all aspects of successful field trial delivery including travelling and work from location
• R&D Troubleshooting & Fixing: Diagnose, troubleshoot, and fix complex mechanical, optical and electronics hardware issues both in the lab and the field
• Implementation of New Techniques: Utilize outcomes of internal lab based research and deploy new and novel sensing techniques and control schemes onto our fieldable prototypes
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner directly with quantum scientists, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers to assemble, test, and iteratively improve hardware concepts
• Note on Quantum Experience: You do not need a background in quantum mechanics or quantum hardware! We have world-class scientists to handle the physics-we need your exceptional problem solving abilities to ensure success for our hardware and prototype development and testing

Ideally you’ll have:

• A PhD in Physics, Engineering or a closely related discipline
• Experience in the design, operation, calibration, optimisation, packaging, testing and validation of complex and state of the art prototypes
• Experience working with and troubleshooting complex scientific, mechanical, optical and electrical systems both in the lab and the field (e.g. robotics, scientific apparatus, complex sensors, metrology)
• Finally, you will have a strong desire to work with a world leading team and a company that is fundamentally building the future of the quantum technology industry

It would be fantastic if you have these skills/experience:

• Laser, Optical, Vacuum Systems and Cold Atoms: Hands-on familiarity working with or troubleshooting these systems
• Precision measurement: Experience with low-noise precision measurement or cutting edge metrology
• Programming: Experience with hardware programming including Python
• R&D & Scientific Collaboration: Experience working in an academic or industrial research environment, with a proven ability to communicate effectively and collaborate side-by-side with scientists and research physicists