Full-Time

Physicist – Ion Transport and Waveform Design

Posted on 9/8/2026

IonQ

IonQ

1,001-5,000 employees

Trapped-ion quantum computing hardware and services

Compensation Overview

$110.3k - $144.5k/yr

+ Bonus + Equity

Boulder, CO, USA

In Person

Travel of up to 10% domestically and internationally is required.

PhD

Category
Academic & Institutional Research (2)
,
Required Skills
Rust
C/C++

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Requirements
  • A PhD in atomic physics, quantum information, or a related field, with experience operating or supporting experimental hardware or equivalent experience.
  • A background in designing or operating surface electrode radio-frequency Paul traps.
  • Proficiency in numerical physics simulations.
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills.
Responsibilities
  • Develop novel control schemes for fast, robust, and low-excitation ion transport.
  • Design and optimize control waveforms for ion loading, transport, qubit routing, and gate operations.
  • Simulate the physics of ion chains in radio-frequency Paul traps.
  • Collaborate with physicists, engineers, and researchers to integrate ion transport into larger experimental setups or commercial products.
  • Communicate technical concepts, design rationale, and experimental results to stakeholders through reports, presentations, and documentation.
  • Collaborate with quantum architects to co-design transport operations, novel trap designs, and quantum error correction primitives for future commercial systems.
Desired Qualifications
  • Strong understanding of ion trap operation, including electrostatics, quantum mechanics, and ion dynamics.
  • Proficiency with scientific programming and numerical optimization.
  • Experience with transport or waveform design in surface-electrode radio-frequency Paul traps.
  • Experience using a compiled programming language such as Rust, C, or C++ for scientific computing.

IonQ sells quantum computing through cloud access and on-site systems that use trapped-ion qubits. Its processors, such as Forte and Tempo, are accessed by customers via cloud platforms or deployed on customer sites, and the company is expanding into quantum networking, quantum key distribution, and sensing through acquisitions and a SkyWater Technology deal. It differentiates itself with trapped-ion technology and by building a broader quantum ecosystem through strategic acquisitions and partnerships to connect devices and services beyond hardware alone. Its goal is to scale commercial quantum computing, grow revenue, and strengthen its cash position to support ongoing expansion and ecosystem development.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

College Park, Maryland

Founded

2015

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • September 8, 2026 raised 2026 revenue guidance to $450 million-$460 million.
  • Congruity360 signed an $8.18 million quantum-security deal on September 2026.
  • DARPA’s $58 million optical-clock contract broadens non-computing revenue and defense credibility.

What critics are saying

  • IonQ’s August 2026 warrant revaluation produced a $1.65 billion quarterly loss.
  • Stock-based compensation hit $276 million in first-half 2026, diluting holders aggressively.
  • If Superion 256 slips past 2027, customers choose IBM, Quantinuum, or Rigetti instead.

What makes IonQ unique

  • IonQ’s trapped-ion systems keep high fidelity and all-to-all connectivity, simplifying algorithms.
  • September 8, 2026 Superion 256 pairs chip fabrication with electronic qubit control.
  • SkyWater ownership gives IonQ domestic manufacturing, packaging, and faster iteration versus rivals.

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Benefits

Biweekly catered lunches

Parental leave

Health, vision, & dental insurance

Flexible time off

401(k) with 5% match

University facilities

Commuter benefits

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

3%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

-1%
Yahoo Finance
Sep 9th, 2026
IonQ CEO says quantum computers could crack Bitcoin encryption by 2028 — yet Strategy just bought $370M more

IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi said a 2,000-qubit quantum computer could break Bitcoin's elliptic-curve encryption in under 26 days. Speaking on CNBC, he reiterated 2028 as his expectation for "Q-Day", when quantum machines will threaten current public-key standards. De Masi noted the timeline has compressed significantly. A year ago, experts thought Q-Day would occur in the 2030s, but now understand it will happen in the 2020s. IonQ's CFO warned that financial services is waking up to the reality that encryption protocols securing Bitcoin wallets may be broken. De Masi acknowledged IonQ sells quantum security solutions whilst raising the alarm. The company just launched a quantum key distribution product aimed at protecting fibre networks. IonQ reported second-quarter revenue of $80.1 million, up 287% year over year.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 8th, 2026
IonQ and Congruity360 sign $8.18M quantum-security agreement to protect US enterprise data

IonQ and Congruity360 have announced an $8.18 million agreement to enhance quantum-safe data protection, marking one of the largest commercial quantum security deals in the United States. Under the partnership, Congruity360 will integrate IonQ's quantum key distribution and post-quantum cryptography appliances into its enterprise data management platform. The collaboration responds to a June 2026 White House executive order that moved federal post-quantum security deadlines forward to 2030 and extended requirements to contractors. IonQ will provide its Clavis QKD pairs and Solteris Network Appliances to protect sensitive data for Congruity360's clients across finance, healthcare, insurance, legal services, manufacturing, defence, and higher education sectors. The deal extends IonQ's quantum-safe network deployments, following earlier initiatives including a statewide network with Florida LambdaRail and upgrades in Switzerland with Cisco.

Associated Press
Sep 8th, 2026
IonQ unveils Superion 256 quantum computer, scales to millions of qubits with 300x cost reduction

IonQ has launched its sixth-generation quantum computing platform, Superion 256, marking a shift toward scalable, manufacturable quantum systems. The 256-qubit system is the first in IonQ's Superion product line, built on semiconductor manufacturing processes rather than traditional one-off laboratory approaches. The platform uses IonQ's Electronic Qubit Control technology, which controls trapped-ion qubits with integrated electronics instead of laser systems. IonQ fabricated the chips at its subsidiary SkyWater, compressing design cycles from nine months to two. Superion 256 fits standard data center racks and draws less power than GPU racks. The platform is designed to scale from 256 qubits to millions, with IonQ already developing a 10,000-qubit version concurrently. The system is available for order now, with customer deliveries expected in 2027. IonQ pre-sold its first Superion 256 system in early 2026.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 2nd, 2026
IonQ stock unlikely to surge in 12 months despite 287% revenue jump and $1.8B SkyWater acquisition

IonQ shares are trading near $39, valuing the quantum computing company at roughly $15 billion. The stock has traded as high as $84 over the past 12 months. The company reported $80.1 million in revenue in the second quarter of 2026, up 287% year-over-year. IonQ recently acquired chip foundry SkyWater for $1.8 billion in cash and stock. SkyWater generated $317.1 million in revenue through the first half of 2026. Management is guiding for full-year revenue of $280 million to $290 million. Combined with SkyWater's projected $600 million, IonQ could reach approximately $900 million in total revenue this year. However, IonQ reported a $254.7 million operating loss through six months of 2026. The company's share count is increasing significantly, with approximately 24 million new shares added from the SkyWater acquisition and $450 million in stock-based compensation over the past year.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 1st, 2026
Quantum computing stocks poised to fall hardest if September triggers AI sell-off

IonQ reported second-quarter revenue of $80.1 million, up 287% year-over-year, and raised its full-year guidance to $280 million-$290 million from $260 million-$270 million. The company's remaining performance obligations grew 297% to $485 million. Quantum computing stocks have declined more sharply than the broader tech sector during sell-offs in 2025, falling harder than the Nasdaq-100 on 17 of 23 trading days when tech dropped at least 1.5%. The sector faces valuation concerns, with IonQ trading at significantly higher multiples than comparable unprofitable software companies like C3.ai and BigBear.ai, which trade at 6.9 times and 10.1 times forward sales respectively. September historically sees average market declines of 1.16%, though upcoming events including the jobs report and Federal Reserve meeting could increase volatility.