PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems.
Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries.
Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries—we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure.
In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale.
PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact.
Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real.
Come join us.
Job Summary:
Our system architecture department sits at the interface of hardware development, manufacturing, and the quantum architecture to design the first fault-tolerant quantum computer. The optical architecture group are specifically responsible for:
- discovering and developing new schemes for photonic quantum computation
- translating abstract quantum information protocols into the designs of physical systems
- modelling quantum optical systems to determine the requirements for hardware systems
Internships are hired on a rolling basis, with durations of 3 to 6 months. We offer placement opportunities in Palo Alto, California (United States), Bristol (United Kingdom), and remotely.
The internship role requires a challenging mix of analytical skills and programming. We are looking for fast learning, productive, creative individuals who are motivated to translate theoretical concepts into real technology.
Responsibilities:
- Contribute to ongoing optical architecture technical projects. For example:
- Writing prototype software implementations for controlling and simulating the optical networks inside photonic quantum computers.
- Applying results from quantum information theory, network design and/or optimization to improve optical architecture designs.
- Development and discovery of new approaches to photonic quantum computing.
- Simulate and benchmark different protocols.
- Document and communicate results.
Experience/Qualifications:
- Degree in: Physics, Math, Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent.
- Currently studying or recently finished a postgraduate degree (PhD preferred).
- Experience in programming in Python, C++, Julia or similar languages.
- Competent use of collaborative software development tools (e.g., GitHub) is desirable.
- Ability to communicate effectively and work closely with others.
- Preferred: knowledge of quantum optics, photonic hardware, switch network design, optimization, graph theory.
U.S. Intern Hourly Pay Rate Chart
Education level COMPLETED
Hourly Rate
Housing/Commuter Stipend
Bachelors: In Process
$27.50
Variable based on permanent residency location
Bachelor’s Degree
$31.00
Variable based on permanent residency location
Master’s: 1st Year
$36.00
Variable based on permanent residency location
Master’s Degree
$40.00
Variable based on permanent residency location
PhD: In Process
$44.00
Variable based on permanent residency location
PhD: Near Completion
$47.00
Variable based on permanent residency location
UK Intern Compensation Rates
Education level COMPLETED
Hourly Rate
Annualized
Bachelors: Freshman/Sophomore/Junior
15
31,200
Bachelor’s Degree
17
35,360
Masters, 1st Year
18
37,440
Master’s Degree
20
41,600
Ph.D. in process
24
49,920
Ph.D. near completion
27
56,160
PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.
Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to recruiting@psiquantum.com.
We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.
TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
The emergence of specialized architectural roles at the junction of photonic hardware and quantum information protocols represents a critical transition in the deep-tech value chain. As the sector moves toward fault-tolerant systems, the structural necessity for cross-functional technical pipelines becomes paramount to bridging the gap between theoretical quantum advantage and industrial scalability. These roles serve as high-leverage points within the system-integration layer, ensuring that high-volume semiconductor manufacturing processes are architecturally aligned with the rigorous requirements of error-corrected quantum computation. Market signals from the Quantum Economic Development Consortium highlight that developing such specialized talent is essential for mitigating the systemic risks of technology bottlenecks and ensuring long-term sovereign capabilities in high-compute industries. By fostering the next generation of architects, the ecosystem secures the foundation for transitioning laboratory-scale prototypes into utility-scale infrastructure.
The quantum computing landscape is undergoing a decisive shift from laboratory-scale proof-of-concepts toward the deployment of fault-tolerant systems integrated with global enterprise ecosystems. While hardware development continues across diverse modalities, the primary bottleneck for industrial adoption has shifted to the system architecture layer, specifically regarding the scalability and modularity of quantum-classical interfaces. Current industry focus lies on bridging classical and quantum capabilities at scale, necessitating a sophisticated management of the hardware-software interface to ensure that emerging architectures can handle the data throughput requirements of production environments.
Workforce development is particularly acute at the intersection of photonic systems engineering and quantum information science. As organizations move beyond NISQ-era benchmarks, the ecosystem requires specialized practitioners who can navigate the fragmentation of the hardware stack and the complexities of optical network design. Current industry dynamics, influenced by significant public-private funding cycles and national security mandates, place a premium on developing a talent pipeline that can drive interoperability across disparate quantum cloud platforms. This structural layer of expertise is the primary mechanism for maintaining momentum as the technology transitions through varying Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs).
Furthermore, the integration of silicon photonics with existing cryogenic and fiber-optic infrastructure remains a high-leverage dependency for the sector. The evolution of the value chain depends on the ability to translate abstract quantum protocols into physical system designs that leverage mature semiconductor manufacturing processes. Consequently, the availability of emerging architects capable of orchestrating these complex cross-functional dependencies is a primary determinant of whether the global deep-tech sector can successfully scale from specialized research applications to pervasive commercial utility.
The capability architecture for this role type centers on the synchronization of quantum optical modeling with the protocols of advanced systems engineering. Mastery of the interface between hardware-agnostic software layers and physical photonic networks is essential for ensuring that systems are optimized for the specific constraints of large-scale quantum processors, such as optical loss and gate fidelity. This requires a deep understanding of the integration points between high-level quantum algorithms and the underlying hardware architectures that manage photonic quantum executions.
These capabilities are fundamental to the throughput of technology organizations, as they enable the parallelization of architectural research alongside the development of scalable manufacturing roadmaps. By establishing rigorous simulation and benchmarking frameworks, this function provides the leverage needed to assess the technical feasibility of different hardware protocols before full-scale capital allocation. Furthermore, the ability to document and communicate complex results ensures that scientific outputs are reconciled with the practical constraints of industrial-grade fabrication and system integration. Such expertise reduces the iteration friction between theoretical discovery and technology delivery, which is critical for long-term interoperability within the emerging quantum-as-a-service market. - Accelerates the transition from abstract quantum information theory to scalable physical system implementations
- Mitigates systemic execution risks by aligning architectural modeling with high-volume manufacturing protocols
- Facilitates the integration of photonic quantum systems into standardized cryogenic and optical infrastructures
- Strengthens the reliability of technology roadmaps through the implementation of rigorous protocol benchmarking
- Reduces iteration friction between fundamental hardware innovations and the deployment of fault-tolerant systems
- Optimizes the development of a specialized talent pipeline across the research and engineering value chain
- Enhances the stability of the quantum supply chain by providing predictable architectural requirements for partners
- Supports the scaling of computational capabilities by managing the complex dependencies of optical networks
- Improves the transparency of TRL progression for stakeholders in the investment and policy sectors
- Enables the structural reproducibility of quantum experiments through standardized architectural simulation protocols
- Protects long-term research and development investments by ensuring alignment between theory and scalability
- Orchestrates the convergence of academic research pathways with the practical demands of industrial-grade servicesIndustry Tags: Silicon Photonics, System Architecture, Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computing, Semiconductor Manufacturing, Optical Network Design, Quantum Error Correction, Deep Tech Workforce, TRL Progression, Quantum Information Theory
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