Architecting Logical Applications for Neutral Atom Quantum Processors

Science/CS Domain(s)

Quantum Computing, Neutral Atoms, Simulation, Quantum Hardware Experiments

Overview

NERSC, the mission high performance computing center for the Department of Energy Office of Science, is seeking a motivated and talented student for a summer internship position within its Advanced Technologies Group (ATG). The ATG focuses on exploring emerging computing technologies, including quantum computing, to accelerate scientific discovery.

This internship offers a unique opportunity to develop and test applications on digital neutral atom-based quantum computers from QuEra Computing.

Project description

Neutral-atom quantum processors are emerging as a technological platform for quantum information processing, offering potential advantages in scalability and qubit connectivity. However, optimally using the hardware capabilities requires the programmer to consider various objectives such as gate scheduling, parallelization, and atom movement, and remains a complex endeavor.

During this project, the intern will work as part of a team of researchers from NERSC and QuEra Computing to develop, optimize, and test applications of interest to the DOE SC mission for Gemini-class quantum hardware. The intern will develop simulation workflows to plan quantum hardware experiments and contribute to setting up and testing the initial runs.

This internship offers the opportunity to work with Gemini, a digital neutral atom-based quantum computer from QuEra Computing.
- Credit: QuEra Computing

Key responsibilities

Key responsibilities of this position include the following:

Contribute to the development of simulation workflows to inform hardware runs.
Set up, test, and improve initial hardware runs.
Analyze and evaluate results.
Document all work, methodology, and results, culminating in a final presentation or report.
Collaborate effectively with researchers and staff in the ATG team.

Qualifications

Required

The successful candidate will possess the following qualifications:

Currently pursuing a master’s or Ph.D. degree in computer science, physics, electrical engineering, mathematics, or a related field.
Demonstrated understanding of the fundamentals of quantum computing, quantum algorithms, and/or quantum physics.
Proficiency in at least one programming language (e.g., Python).
Familiarity with common quantum computing frameworks (e.g., Qiskit, Cirq, Pennylane).
Strong analytical, organizational, and technical writing skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced research environment.