Senior Quantum Foundry Technologist & Library Specialist

Job Title

Senior Quantum Foundry Technologist & Library Specialist

Role Summary

Lead the development and qualification of Microsoft’s quantum ASIC foundry partnerships and library/PDK interfaces for cryogenic System-on-a-Chip (SOC) implementations. Serve as the technical lead between internal design teams (architecture, quantum, verification, analog, physical design) and external foundries to ensure manufacturable, high-performance cryo/quantum silicon.

This is an individual-contributor senior role focused on foundry evaluation, PDK/library creation for cryo operation, testchip enablement, and production yield improvement.

Experience Level

Senior — individual contributor. See Education Requirements for degree/experience combinations; typical candidates will have multiple years of relevant semiconductor, device-physics, and foundry/process-development experience.

Responsibilities

Main responsibilities include technical leadership of foundry and library activities across the program lifecycle.

• Audit and evaluate external foundries for long-term partnerships; define material and process tailoring and evolution plans to meet quantum/cryo silicon requirements.
• Lead pre-silicon and post-silicon technical interactions with foundries and vendors to drive production yield and performance improvements.
• Define, create, and re-characterize design libraries and PDKs suitable for cryogenic operation (standard cells, analog PDKs) and support scaling for SOCs.
• Design engineering testchip structures for technology interception and enablement; own data collection, analysis, and silicon characterization activities.
• Compile and analyze manufacturing and test data using statistical methods; present results and recommend actions for continuous improvement and yield optimization.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with physicists, engineers, program managers, and supply-chain to integrate device, process, and system requirements.
• Support production-stage manufacturing activities, quality and manufacturability assessments, and data-sheet compliance.
• Embody the organization's culture and values in technical leadership and teamwork.

Requirements

Key must-have skills and conditions are listed below; education/degree details are summarized in the Education Requirements section.

• Proven experience working with semiconductor foundries on process qualification, technology evaluation, and vendor partnerships for first-party silicon.
• Experience with PDK/library development and re-characterization for low-temperature/cryogenic environments and with analog and digital design flows.
• Testchip design experience: defining test structures, schematic/layout design, simulation, verification, and test implementation.
• Hands-on device-level measurement experience, familiarity with test equipment, data analysis, modeling, and projection.
• Strong statistical and data-analysis skills, including Design of Experiments (DOE) and yield/performance analysis.
• Experience driving cross-functional technical programs and collaborating with architecture, verification, and fabrication teams.
• Ability to pass Microsoft Cloud Background Check and meet export-control-related verification requirements; ability to provide citizenship or lawful-residency documentation where required for export-controlled information access.
• Comfort using modern AI tools to accelerate design, modeling, and engineering tasks.

Nice-to-have (concise):

• Experience with SPICE model development and EDA toolchains (Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens) for device/IP study and mixed-signal flows.
• Familiarity with automated test equipment (ATE), custom process/library development, DFT/DFM techniques, and product/test engineering methodologies.
• Programming and scripting experience (Python, C++, Java) and exposure to AI/ML workflows applied to device/process analysis.
• Background in analog automation, digital floorplanning/STA to optimize PPA for SOC designs.

Education Requirements

Degree and experience combinations stated in the posting: Doctorate (Physics, Engineering, or related) + 1+ years industry/R&D experience; OR Master’s (Physics, Engineering, or related) + 4+ years; OR Bachelor’s (Physics, Engineering, or related) + 6+ years; OR equivalent experience. Preferred listings include higher experience thresholds for each degree (e.g., Doctorate +3 years, Master’s +6 years, Bachelor’s +8 years) and mention degrees such as BSEE, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related technical fields. Equivalent practical experience is accepted where specified.

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.