Principal Device Physicist
Direct Hire / Full time, Onsite-Burnaby BC Canada

D-Wave (NYSE: QBTS), a leader in the development and delivery of quantum computing systems, software, and services. We are the world’s first commercial supplier of quantum computers, and the only company building both annealing and gate-model quantum computers. Our mission is to help customers realize the value of quantum, today. Our 5,000+ qubit AdvantageTM quantum computers, the world’s largest, are available on-premises or via the cloud, supported by 99.9% availability and uptime. More than 100 organizations trust D-Wave with their toughest computational challenges. With over 200 million problems submitted to our Advantage and Advantage2™ systems to date, our customers apply our technology to address use cases spanning optimization, artificial intelligence, research and more. 

You can read more about our company and our innovations in the pages of The Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine, Fast Company, MIT Technology Review, Forbes, Inc. Magazine, Wired and across many white papers. 

At D-Wave, we’re helping customers realize the value of quantum computing today and are shaping the quantum-driven industrial and societal advancements of tomorrow. 

We are growing!

We are looking for a creative, energetic, and self-motivated Principal level expert in superconducting devices to join our Processor Development (PD) team. The PD team is composed of experienced and talented superconducting designers, fabrication engineers, materials scientists, software developers and physicists who work together to create quantum annealing and gate model processors at the heart of our quantum computer. We are constantly pushing the boundaries of the technology of the future.

In this challenging and exciting position, you will play a key role in shaping and understanding what our future technologies will look like. You will work with key researchers and business leaders to understand performance requirements and investigate new architectural, device design and processor operation concepts as we continue scaling our quantum processors, in both size and performance. You will lead troubleshooting of some of our most complex problems and assist other physicists in troubleshooting technical issues that arise in their work.

Furthermore, as a senior researcher on the PD team, you will invest in the development of other scientists on the team, taking responsibility and accountability for the success of the team, as well as its collaborative and inclusive culture.

What you'll do

• Conceive of, propose and develop parametric designs and models of superconducting devices, including qubits, couplers and on-chip control circuits
• Create, execute and refine experimental protocols to characterize, calibrate and operate superconducting processors and sub-components
• Use a systems-level perspective to investigate, predict and diagnose interactions between superconducting circuits, IO, electronics, cryogenic elements, etc. that impact all aspects of current and future processor performance
• Create and contribute to Lisp software infrastructure for modeling, calibrating and operating processors
• Serve as a mentor within the PD team, providing guidance and technical support as needed, and invest in the development of early-career researchers as they pursue the above objectives
• Work closely and collaboratively with domain experts in cryogenics, hardware engineering, electronics, fabrication, packaging, software and applications development

About You

• Ph.D. in physics, engineering or a related discipline and 5+ years’ postdoctoral experience, with a strong preference for industrial experience, in designing, building and/or trouble-shooting superconducting integrated circuits. An equivalent combination of education and experience in superconducting device physics will be considered.
• Proven ability to lead and develop innovative applied research projects
• Experience developing software in the context of a physical lab, to drive experiments and analyze data
• Excellent technical intuition and problem-solving skills, coupled with persistence in investigating design concepts, experimental results and any unexpected or complex behavior
• Excellent oral and written communication skills – you’re able to share your insights with colleagues within and external to your domain of expertise
• Good understanding of quantum mechanics, and preferably quantum information principles
• Strong record of mentorship of junior and developing researchers, as evidence by the accomplishments and growth of your team or colleagues
• A collaborative mindset and ability to work effectively on an interdisciplinary team, taking shared accountability for both successes and setbacks
• Ability to adapt to shifting priorities in a time-sensitive environment, while maintaining focus on challenging problems.

EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES WILL HAVE:

• Previous technical leadership experience with responsibility for projects requiring a multidisciplinary team
• Experience with system design or systems engineering, particularly with regards to semiconductor fabrication processes, device packaging or cryogenic systems
• Experience with the full research and product development lifecycle
• Experience contributing to collaborative software development projects, particularly if they involve large, shared codebases

A D-Waver's DNA

• We look at the future and say “why not”; we see possibilities where others see problems or routines. We show the way ahead and are committed to achieving ambitious goals.
• We practice straight talk and listen generously to each other with empathy. We value different opinions and points of views. We ensure that we connect outside as well as inside to learn from others and inspire each other.
• We hold ourselves accountable for delivering results. We make decisions & take responsibility so that we can act & support each other.
• As leaders we motivate & engage our teams to undertake beyond what they originally thought possible, by developing our teams & creating the conditions for people to grow and empower themselves through enabling & coaching.

Our Compensation Philosophy is Simple but Powerful:

We believe providing D-Wavers with company ownership, competitive pay, and a range of meaningful benefits is the start of creating a culture where people want to give the best they’ve got — not because they’re simply making money, but because they’ve fallen in love with our vision, mission, values, and team. 

During the interview process, your Recruiter will explain how our rubrics work across all our total rewards (base, equity, bonus, perks, benefit, culture) offerings. The final offer is determined by your proficiencies within this level.   

Inclusion: 

We celebrate diverse perspectives to drive innovation in our pursuit. Our employees range from distinguished domain experts with decades of experience in their respective fields, to bright and motivated graduates eager to make their mark.

Our diverse and innovative team will make you feel appreciated, supported and empower your career growth at D-Wave.

The Fine Print: 

No 3rd party candidates will be accepted

It is D-Wave Systems Inc. policy to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/provincial, local law.