Inertial Quantum Physicist

About this role

Infleqtion is a global quantum technology company solving the world's most challenging problems. The company harnesses neutral atom quantum technology to build and integrate quantum computers, sensors, and networks. From fundamental physics to leading edge commercial products, Infleqtion enables "quantum everywhere" through our ecosystem of devices and platforms. We are recruiting for a Staff Quantum Sensor Physicist to help translate customer needs into practical architectures and devices for deployable atom-based inertial and gravitational sensors.

LOCATION Infleqtion has 6 office locations, operating out of Boulder, CO; Louisville, CO; Madison, WI; Chicago, IL; Melbourne, AU and Oxford, UK. This position is a full-time role based in our Louisville, CO office. POSITION SUMMARY The newly hired physicist will contribute to research, customer-driven development, and commercial projects to turn high-level mission needs into practical sensor concepts, requirements, error budgets, system architectures, and working instruments.

The Quantum Physicist's role includes a combination of self-directed and collaborative efforts with a team of fellow physicists, engineers, and technicians. This role is highly practical, hands-on, and system oriented. The successful candidate should be motivated by turning advanced AMO physics into useful instruments that can progress from R&D prototypes toward customer demonstrations and eventual deployed operation.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES The duties and responsibilities outlined below include essential 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 at any time with or without notice. Participates in research and development projects involving atom interferometry, atom-based inertial and gravitational sensing, cold-atom systems, laser systems, vacuum systems, controls, and quantum sensing systems Translates customer needs, use cases, and specifications into practical quantum sensor architectures, requirements, error budgets, trade studies, operating concepts, and development plans Supports development from concept and architecture phases all the way through test, operation, and eventual deployment Develops and maintains physics models, simulations, calculations, and error budgets to guide architecture decisions, performance estimates, and identification of technical risks Evaluates sensor concepts against real-world and deployed-system constraints including sensitivity, bandwidth, dynamic range, SWaP-C, environmental robustness, manufacturability, reliability, cost, schedule, and technical risk Works with electrical, mechanical, software, firmware, vacuum, laser, and controls engineering teams to develop requirements, guide design trades, and convert physics concepts into buildable and operable instrument designs Participates in proposal development and customer technical discussions, including practical work scope, risks, system concepts, and deployment considerations Communicates project findings and progress to both internal stakeholders and external customers Requirements PhD in atomic physics, optical physics, quantum sensing, precision measurement, or related field Practical experience with atom-based inertial and/or gravitational sensors, atom interferometry, or closely related AMO or precision-measurement hardware Strong practical judgment in balancing physics performance against constraints such as reliability, operability, integration complexity, usability, cost, schedule, SWaP-C, environmental robustness, and technical risk Experience designing, building, integrating, testing, operating, and debugging complex hardware and software systems Experience developing models, simulations, calculations, and/or error budgets to inform instrument designs Ability to work effectively with engineering teams on optical, mechanical, electrical, software, firmware, vacuum, laser, controls, packaging, and instrument-operation challenges Professional-level communication skills, including the ability to share technical information clearly with technical and non-technical staff, leadership, and customers Ability to travel domestically and potentially internationally up to 10% Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future sponsorship Additional Preferred Qualifications Direct experience with atom interferometry, cold-atom gravimetry, gravity gradiometry, quantum inertial sensing, Bose Einstein condensates, or optical lattices Experience building, testing, operating, or deploying practical AMO/quantum systems, including fieldable sensors, transportable instruments, or robust laboratory prototypes Experience with cold or ultracold atoms, Bose-Einstein condensates, MOTs, optical lattices, or related technologies Demonstrated ability to translate customer needs or performance goals into implementable system architectures, requirements, engineering trades, and test approaches Experience writing proposals, leading technical work, serving as a Principal Investigator (PI) or technical lead, and/or working directly with customers 2+ years of post-PhD experience in a postdoctoral role, quantum-related industry, precision measurement, or related hardware development environment This position may require access to information protected under U.S.