Senior Quantum Scientist (AMO)

Role summary

Senior Quantum Scientist (AMO) is a full-time role at Science and Technology Facilities Council in Harwell, England, United Kingdom (hybrid). Posted 2026-10-13. Salary: GBP 58,346 per year. Experience level: 5-10. No degree required.

Job title

Senior Quantum Scientist (AMO)

Company

Science and Technology Facilities Council

Location

Harwell, England, United Kingdom

Work arrangement

hybrid

Employment type

full-time

Category

Trades & Construction

Salary

GBP 58,346 per year

Experience level

5-10

Degree required

No

Date posted

2026-10-13

Job description

Job Title: Senior Quantum Scientist (AMO)

Salary: Band E S1 £58,346

Location: RAL - Oxfordshire

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full Time (We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants)

Come and do the kind of science that made you want to become a scientist. Explore the unknown and get to grips with the biggest challenges in Big Science. And, alongside world class engineers, technicians and technologists, use everything you've learnt to find real-answers that shape society and improve lives.

Put simply, discover the kind of impact you can make when you work with some of the best facilities and brightest scientists in the world.

About Us:

As part of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is leading a programme to establish a National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC). This includes a commitment of £93m over 5 years, dedicated to drive development in the field of Quantum Computing and to place the UK at the forefront of the field.

Our primary purpose is to fill a key gap in the research and innovation landscape addressing the challenge of scaling quantum computing.

About the Role:

The NAQC team’s mission is to:

• Design, build and deploy cutting-edge open-source NAQC hardware.

• Build capability to act as UK’s trusted authority on NAQC.

• Convene the UK NAQC community and train the future NAQC workforce.

As Senior Quantum Scientist (AMO), you will work as part of the NQCC's Neutral Atom Quantum Computing (NAQC) team. The role is suitable for candidates with strong experimental or engineering skills and experience who are looking to develop into system-level roles. You will contribute to development and deployment of NQCC’s open-source quantum computing platforms to support our technology roadmap, integrating components into scalable quantum computers and pushing the boundaries of platform performance in the UK.

The role offers the opportunity to influence the technical direction of the national NAQC programme whilst remaining closely engaged with hands-on experimental and engineering work in the lab.

Key Responsibilities:

System and Sub-System Development:

• Design, develop, assemble, and optimise neutral atom quantum computing sub-systems (e.g. QPU, laser systems, control systems).

• Develop and run experiments to characterise performance and improve qubit fidelity, stability, and scalability.

• Contribute to the integration of sub-systems into full-stack quantum computing platforms.

System-Level Planning and Architecture:

• Contribute to system-level design, including requirements, interfaces, and performance targets.

• Support the development of scaling strategies and system architectures.

• Explore trade-offs across subsystems and their impact on overall system performance.

Open Architecture and System Blueprinting:

• Contribute to the development of open-architecture policy & vision documents, system definitions, and system performance reports.

• Ensure work is documented to support reproducibility and knowledge transfer.

Collaboration and Ecosystem Engagement:

• Work closely with internal teams across the NQCC (hardware, software, applications).

• Collaborate with external partners including academia, industry, and national laboratories.

• Participate in site visits, technical exchanges, workshops, and community engagement activities, contributing to the development of the UK quantum computing ecosystem and supply chain.

Technical Leadership and Contribution:

• Take ownership of technical areas or sub-systems.

• Provide technical input into project direction, planning, and delivery.

• Influence internal and external collaborators through clear communication of technical results.

Dissemination:

• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals.

• Present work at conferences, workshops, and internal reviews.

The successful candidate will demonstrate a pragmatic, delivery-focused approach and work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment. They will have strong attention to detail and the ability to interpret and clearly communicate technical performance data at both component and system levels. They will be comfortable developing quantum technologies in a laser lab.

Person Specification:

We offer significant development opportunities at the NQCC, but as a starting point you should be able to demonstrate some of the following;

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

• Educated to a PhD - level (or equivalent experience) in a physics, engineering, computing or a related discipline. (S&I)

• Strong technical knowledge and understanding of the principles of quantum computing and / or closely related quantum technologies. (S&I)

• Experience working with neutral atom quantum computing systems & hardware, or significant experience in a closely related quantum technology which may include publication. (S)

• Hands-on experience developing, operating, integrating, and troubleshooting experimental quantum systems. (S&I)

• Experience designing, implementing, and automating experiments, including development of software, scripts, or control routines for system operation and characterisation. (S&I)

• Experience of characterisation, analysis, and refinement of neutral atom qubits and device-level performance through experimental measurement, calibration, and performance analysis, including fidelity, noise, stability, and error mechanisms. (S&I)

• Strong communication skills and proven ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment. (S&I)

Employee Benefits:

We are offering this position with a whole host of benefits including:

• 30 days holiday (in addition to 10.5 bank holidays and privilege days).

• Flexible working hours.

• An excellent defined salary pension scheme.

• Easily accessible public transport links/ free parking.

• Ex