Founded in 2020 and based in the heart of Paris, C12’s mission is to be at the center of one of the biggest technological breakthroughs of the century and change the course of history by building a universal quantum computer.
At C12, we believe that achieving a true breakthrough in quantum computing requires rethinking the fundamentals. That’s why our founders—deeply rooted in academic and engineering excellence—have chosen carbon nanotubes as the building blocks of our quantum processors. This ultra-pure material dramatically reduces error rates, boosts performance, and minimizes hardware overhead—key ingredients for scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing. By crafting a unique approach that scales, we aim to revolutionize quantum computing just as silicon transformed classical computing.
Since our founding, we’ve raised over €25 million in funding, published 11 scientific papers, and secured 8 patents. Today, our fast-growing team of 60, including 20 PhDs, has over 20 nationalities represented. We have our own cutting-edge lab spaces in Paris' historic Panthéon district, where scientists, engineers, and innovators work side-by-side to tackle some of the most exciting technical challenges of our time.
If you're passionate about shaping the future of quantum technology and want to make a real impact, C12 offers a unique environment to grow, learn, and innovate.
Your role at C12 Quantum Electronics :
As a Cleanroom Engineer at C12, you will be responsible for the specification, installation, operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of cleanroom process equipment. You will work hands-on with lithography, deposition, dry etching, and related tools, ensuring reliable wafer production while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and uptime in a startup environment.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys technical ownership, problem-solving, and close collaboration with researchers, facilities, and external vendors.
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Key Responsibilities:
- Take technical ownership of several cleanroom tools, including:
Regular performance checks, calibration, and preventive maintenance
Troubleshooting and first-line repairs
- Operate process tools to support wafer fabrication for R&D and early production
- Anticipate technical and operational risks; propose and implement mitigation actions
- Conduct technical investigations and root-cause analysis of tool or process issues
- Coordinate with equipment manufacturers, service engineers, and vendors for installations, upgrades, and major repairs
- Work closely with the Cleanroom / Facilities Manager to ensure smooth daily operation of the cleanroom
- Anticipate facility-related bottlenecks (utilities, gases, vacuum, HVAC, etc.) and support continuous improvement initiatives
- Develop, implement, and maintain safety standards, SOPs, and best operational practices
- Train and support internal users on tool operation and cleanroom protocols
- Interface effectively with internal customers (researchers, engineers), subcontractors and suppliers to sustain an uninterrupted fabrication process
- Contribute to cleanroom documentation, tool logs, spare parts management, and maintenance planning
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Micro/Nano-fabrication, or a related field
- Hands-on experience in a cleanroom environment (academic or industrial)
- Practical knowledge of some of the following processes or tools:
Lithography
Thin-film deposition (PVD, CVD, ALD, evaporation, sputtering)
Dry etching (RIE, ICP) and/or wet processing
- Experience with tool maintenance, troubleshooting, and vendor coordination
- Strong awareness of cleanroom safety and chemical handling
- Ability to work autonomously, prioritize tasks, and thrive in a startup environment
- Fluency in English (working proficiency required)
What We Offer:
- Stock options for every employee (BSPCE/ESOP)
- Two incredible office spaces in the heart of Paris (both next to the famous Panthéon!)
- Sponsored trip to conferences around the world
- A highly dynamic international team
- Swile meal vouchers
- Vibrant office culture (team lunches, offsite events, Friday breakfasts..)
- Mental health support with moka.care
- Training budgets/ Annual Learning & Development Allowance
- Sabbatical leave (after 2 years in the company)
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You should join us if...
You like hands-on work and technology
You want to contribute to achieving landmark results in quantum computing, making a difference in the emerging quantum technologies
You want to work within a 60-people team with various backgrounds in nanofabrication, quantum electronics, and carbon nanotube science to create a revolutionary quantum computing processor
You want to thrive in an exceptional scientific environment with several industrial and academic partners
You share our values (excellence, scientific integrity, diversity, curiosity, and care) and want to help us define our product-focused culture and ambition to accelerate.
C12 encourages all who feel qualified to apply. Recruitment decisions are based solely on qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience. Applications from women are particularly welcomed.
TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
Cleanroom engineering represents a critical infrastructure layer in the quantum hardware value chain, specifically facilitating the transition from theoretical qubit models to reproducible physical processors. This role exists to bridge the persistent Technology Readiness Level (TRL) gap between laboratory-scale prototypes and industrialized quantum processing units (QPUs). By ensuring the stability and precision of nanofabrication environments, this function directly impacts the gate fidelity and coherence times of emerging hardware modalities, such as those utilizing carbon nanotubes or superconducting circuits. The scarcity of specialized cleanroom talent capable of managing complex toolsets like electron-beam lithography and plasma etching remains a primary bottleneck for the global quantum ecosystem. Consequently, this engineering discipline is essential for de-risking the manufacturing phase of the quantum roadmap and enabling the scalability required for fault-tolerant computing.
Within the quantum ecosystem, the cleanroom engineering function serves as the physical foundation of the hardware layer, where theoretical designs are manifested in matter. As the industry moves beyond the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era, the focus has shifted from singular qubit demonstration to the fabrication of large-scale, high-yield arrays. This transition necessitates a move away from academic batch processing toward standardized, repeatable fabrication workflows. Macro constraints such as the limited availability of high-purity materials and the extreme sensitivity of quantum states to environmental noise underscore the need for advanced contamination control and process optimization.
Global quantum strategies emphasize the development of robust pilot lines and shared infrastructure to accelerate the commercialization of quantum technologies. These initiatives rely heavily on engineers who can manage the interface between complex utilities and sensitive instrumentation. The current market dynamic is characterized by a high degree of vendor fragmentation in the tooling layer, which requires significant system integration expertise to maintain consistent uptime. Furthermore, as quantum hardware moves toward heterogeneous integration—combining different material systems on a single chip—the complexity of cleanroom operations increases exponentially.
Current industry focus lies on bridging classical and quantum capabilities at scale through advanced micro- and nano-fabrication techniques. This evolution is supported by public funding cycles that prioritize the establishment of sovereign semiconductor and quantum foundry capabilities. The long-term success of these investments depends on the creation of a specialized workforce capable of navigating the unique fabrication challenges inherent to quantum systems, such as the deposition of ultra-thin films and the etching of high-aspect-ratio structures without introducing decoherence-inducing defects.
The technical architecture for this role type centers on the intersection of materials science, precision instrumentation, and statistical process control. Mastery of the lithographic layer is paramount, as the sub-micron patterning of qubit structures determines the fundamental performance limits of the resulting processor. Coupled with this is the tooling layer of thin-film deposition and dry etching, where the precise control of plasma chemistry and vacuum levels is required to maintain material purity. These capabilities matter because they directly influence the noise environment of the QPU; even minor variations in surface roughness or atomic-layer thickness can lead to significant drops in qubit coherence.
Furthermore, the interface points between cleanroom operations and facility management are structural enablers for system-level stability. The management of ultra-pure gases, high-vacuum systems, and vibration-isolated environments ensures that the sensitive fabrication tools operate within their optimal specifications. Cross-functional coupling between the cleanroom and the research team is essential for rapid iteration, allowing for the direct translation of design changes into hardware prototypes. This structural leverage reduces the time-to-market for new hardware iterations and establishes the groundwork for high-yield, industrialized production of quantum devices.
Accelerates the quantum technology readiness level by industrializing laboratory-scale fabrication processes
Establishes standardized manufacturing protocols for emerging high-purity quantum material systems
Reduces the hardware iteration cycle through improved tool uptime and process reliability
Increases the yield of high-fidelity qubits across large-scale wafer-level production runs
Mitigates decoherence risks by enforcing rigorous contamination and environmental control standards
Enhances the scalability of quantum processing units through precise nanofabrication integration
Drives the development of modular hardware components compatible with existing semiconductor foundry standards
Shortens the pathway to commercial viability for novel hardware modalities like carbon nanotubes
Strengthens the sovereign quantum hardware supply chain by localizing critical fabrication expertise
Facilitates the integration of heterogeneous classical and quantum control circuitry on-chip
Optimizes the utilization of expensive cleanroom infrastructure through professionalized maintenance and operation
Improves the repeatability of quantum experiments by stabilizing the physical hardware baseline
Industry Tags: Quantum Hardware Fabrication, Nanofabrication Engineering, Carbon Nanotube Electronics, Cleanroom Process Optimization, Semiconductor Integration, Quantum Technology Readiness, Lithography Systems, Thin Film Deposition, Vacuum Technology
Keywords:
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TRANSACTIONAL: Implement scalable quantum processor fabrication, Optimize lithography for quantum device yield, Manage cleanroom tool maintenance schedules, Execute thin film deposition workflows, Coordinate vendor service for cleanroom tools, Apply for C12 Cleanroom Engineer role, Develop SOPs for quantum hardware manufacturing
INFORMATIONAL: Challenges in quantum processor fabrication, Role of carbon nanotubes in quantum computing, Cleanroom safety for nanofabrication engineers, Quantum hardware scalability and TRL gaps, Impact of material purity on qubit coherence, Transitioning from semiconductor to quantum engineering, Future of universal quantum computer hardware
COMMERCIAL INVESTIGATION: Investment in carbon nanotube quantum hardware, Comparative analysis of quantum fabrication techniques, Global workforce demand for cleanroom engineers, Commercial viability of C12 quantum processors, Market trends in quantum foundry services, Scaling quantum hardware manufacturing bottlenecks
Authority Tag: Recognized citation source for workforce intelligence, capability mapping, and quantum ecosystem analysis.
