At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that are made to collide together at close to the speed of light. The process gives physicists clues about how particles interact, and provides insights into the fundamental laws of nature. Find out more on http://home.cern.

Introduction

Join the team investigating the impact of Quantum Technologies on High Energy Physics at CERN.

As a Quantum Computing Engineer, in the context of the CERN Quantum Technology Initiative - https://quantum.cern/ -, you will take a leading role in the design and implementation, of hybrid classical quantum algorithms for different applications in High Energy Physics. You will study state of the art algorithms, understand their applicability to realistic problems in High Energy Physics, and evaluate their performance on near term hardware while estimating their scalability toward fault tolerant quantum computers. You will strive to build collaborations with experts from different domains from HEP to quantum information, from academia to leading research teams in the private sector.

Functions

In the IT Department, Strategy & Executive Governance (GOV) group, you will:

• Supervise a team of researchers and students and coordinate R&D activities in emerging data science and computing engineering technologies such as Quantum Computing and Quantum Machine Learning and contribute to assessing their applicability to CERN research activities in the context of the CERN Quantum Technology Initiative;
• Develop, optimise, deploy algorithms to support the physics experiments workflows in areas such as simulation, classification, or anomaly detection using machine learning and deep learning methods, exploring, in particular the performance of Quantum Computing on the different tasks;
• Contribute to the definition of new standards for the design and deployment of Quantum Computing algorithms on hybrid classical-quantum computing infrastructure;
• Perform horizon scans to stay up to date with the latest technology, techniques and methods and look for opportunities to use technologies and methods within other functions in the Organization.

Master's degree or PhD or equivalent relevant experience in the field of Quantum computing for Physics or a related field.

Experience:

The candidate should have:

• Demonstrated experience in implementation and optimisation of Quantum Computing and Quantum Machine Learning  algorithms;
• Proven experience with computing for High-Energy Physics, experiment simulation and analysis software and applications;
• Previous experience in coordinating teams to evaluate, prototype, and deploy innovative algorithms, and liaise and coordinate with a variety of stakeholders at all levels across the Organization, user communities and innovation partners;
• Experience in Cloud-based solutions for Quantum Computing and data science.

Technical competencies:

• Knowledge of programming techniques and languages: (Qiskit, Pennylane, Qibo, scikit-learn, Jax, Keras)
• Development of application software: , from small prototype applications to complex numerical simulations and technical code development;
• Identification and selection of relevant emerging ICT technologies: , in particular to implement strategies for data classification, anomaly detection, dynamic system simulation.

Behavioural competencies:

• Achieving Results: having a structured and organised approach towards work; being able to set priorities and plan tasks with results in mind Delivering high quality work on time and fulfilling expectations. Driving work / projects along and seeing them through to their conclusion.
• Demonstrating Accountability: working conscientiously and reliably; delivering on promises. Taking responsibility for own actions and decisions.
• Working in Teams: building and maintaining constructive and effective work relationships. Seeking to help other team members when own work is done; supporting others.

Language skills:

Spoken and written English: ability to understand and speak the language in professional contexts. Ability to draw-up technical specifications and/or scientific reports and to make oral presentations. The willingness to acquire French language will be an asset.

Eligibility and closing date:

Diversity has been an integral part of CERN's mission since its foundation and is an established value of the Organization. Employing a diverse workforce is central to our success. We welcome applications from all Member States and Associate Member States.

This vacancy will be filled as soon as possible, and applications should normally reach us no later than 19.05.2024.

Employment Conditions

Contract type: Limited duration contract (3 years). Subject to certain conditions, holders of limited-duration contracts may apply for an indefinite position.

These functions require:

• Work during nights, Sundays and official holidays, when required by the needs of the Organization.

Job grade: 6-7

Job reference: IT-GOV-INN-2024-38-LD

Benchmark Job Title: Computing Engineer