Senior Quantum Characterization Engineer

Job Title

Senior Quantum Characterization Engineer

Role Summary

Execute and optimize structural and electrical characterization of quantum materials and devices to improve qubit performance and scalability. Work in an interdisciplinary R&D team spanning device physics, fabrication, modeling, and systems engineering at an on-site Microsoft Quantum facility in West Lafayette.

Experience Level

Senior — typically a candidate with substantial industry or research experience (guidance: mid-to-senior level, often 6+ years of relevant experience depending on degree).

Responsibilities

Provide experimental expertise, develop measurement capabilities, and collaborate across teams to translate characterization results into device and process improvements.

• Design, plan, and execute structural and electrical experiments on quantum devices and materials.
• Perform and refine measurement techniques to advance device performance and reproducibility.
• Automate measurement workflows and data acquisition to increase throughput and reduce variability.
• Analyze data, form hypotheses, iterate experiments, and document results and protocols.
• Collaborate with device physics, fabrication, modeling, and systems teams to identify root causes and improvement paths.
• Support operation and maintenance of cryogenic measurement setups and lab instrumentation.
• Travel as required for collaborative work and cross-site activities (approximately 25–50%).

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and constraints; preferred items listed separately.

• Must-have: Proven experience with experimental electrical characterization (examples: Hall-effect, capacitance–voltage measurements) and hands-on operation of cryostats for low-temperature measurements.
• Must-have: Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze results, and iterate experimental plans with scientific rigor.
• Must-have: Proficiency in scientific programming and data analysis (e.g., Python) and experience automating measurement and data pipelines.
• Must-have: Ability to meet required security and export-control screening for the role.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with structural characterization tools (SEM, XRD, AFM, optical imaging) and related data interpretation.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with superconductor–semiconductor hybrid materials or III/V semiconductor materials.
• Nice-to-have: Experience designing or deploying AI tools/agents to assist experiment setup, log triage, report generation, and knowledge retrieval.
• Nice-to-have: Demonstrated success working in interdisciplinary teams in an R&D environment.

Education Requirements

Degrees and equivalents found in the posting: Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate in fields such as Physics, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related fields. The posting specifies degree-plus-experience options (e.g., Bachelor's + ~6 years; Master's + ~4 years; PhD + ~1 year) or equivalent practical experience. Equivalent experience language is explicitly accepted.

About the Company

Company: Microsoft

Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States

Microsoft is a global technology company that develops and sells software, services, devices, and solutions. Known for its Windows operating system, Office suite, and Azure cloud platform, Microsoft aims to empower individuals and organizations around the world to achieve more. The company fosters a culture of innovation and inclusion, focusing on delivering trusted experiences to customers and partners globally.