Summer 2027 Internship - Quantum Software (QSW)
Infleqtion · Chicago
This internship program is within our Quantum Software (QSW) division. Interns work closely with Infleqtion’s Quantum Software Engineers and are paired with a mentor on the team. This program is intended to run for 10 to 12 weeks. Features of the program include:
- Contribution to cutting-edge quantum software solutions from application to middleware layers
- Weekly 1:1 meetings with your mentor to discuss summer projects and professional development
- Research talks from Infleqtion engineers and experts in the industry
- Primary internship location is Chicago, IL
Job Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities outlined below include potential functions of the role. Depending on business needs, this role may perform a combination of some or all of the following duties. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned.
- Conduct R&D toward cutting-edge advances in quantum technology with a focus on quantum compilation, similar to work described in https://arxiv.org/abs/2309.05157 and https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.13247
- Deploy software optimizations to our cloud platform Superstaq using industry-grade software engineering procedures including documentation, linting, testing, and type-checking
- Interface with customers of Superstaq to understand their needs and support them in a timely fashion
- Contribute to development of government and commercial proposals and execution on global programs
- Collaborate with experimental physicists and software engineers to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical implementation
- Engage with the broader scientific community by publishing research findings in scientific journals and presenting at conferences
- Stay up to date with the latest developments in quantum computer architecture, quantum compilation, quantum algorithms and applications, and related fields
- Provide guidance and support to other team members, fostering a collaborative research environment
- Tailor and apply quantum algorithms to real-world problems, analyzing their performance compared to classical methods
- Expand existing or develop new quantum algorithms for various types of real-world applications
Requirements
- Currently attending a degree program (computer science, engineering, physics, mathematics, or a directly related field) in the US, preferably in penultimate academic year when returning to degree program after completion of internship
- High proficiency in programming, with fluency in Python preferable or proficiency in alternative languages (e.g. C/C++ or Julia) with the ability to rapidly upskill in Python
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with open-source quantum software frameworks such as Cirq or Qiskit (ideal candidates will have experience not only using these libraries but also modifying them)
- Experience with advanced open-source quantum software frameworks such as Stim
- Familiarity with best practices of professional software engineering such as coverage, integration tests, type checking, unit tests, and version control
- Experience with backend development with tools such as FastAPI for web frameworks and PostgreSQL/SQLAlchemy for databases
- Experience with cloud development, especially on GCP and AWS
- Familiarity with CI/CD, automated actions, issue tracking, version control, and other features on GitHub
- Familiarity with security core best-practices such as access control, encryption at rest, key rotation, and logging
- Exposure to or interest in front-end / GUI development, e.g., HTML/CSS, React, PyQt.
Required Materials
- Resume
- Cover letter
- Optionally, sample(s) of a past project (e.g., software project, technical/scientific writing, etc.) relevant to the duties and the responsibilities for this internship.
- Sharing publicly-available GitHub (or similar) projects is strongly recommended