Open Position PhD Student Position for the Quantum Computing Technologies Group

About IFAE

The Institut de Física d’Altes Energies (IFAE) is a public consortium of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB, a public university) whose main objective is to carry out research and to contribute to the development of high energy physics from a theoretical, experimental and technological point of view. IFAE has the status of a “University Institute" attached to the UAB and its premises are within the campus of the University. IFAE is an internationally recognized center for fundamental research in Particle Physics, Astroparticle Physics, and Cosmology. IFAE offers an international, dynamic, and competitive environment for the training of young researchers. IFAE has been accredited three times with the “Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence” distinction, most recently for the 2025-2029 period.

About the QUANTUM COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES group

In 2019, IFAE started a new line on quantum computation with superconducting circuits, the Quantum Computing Technology group, to study the implications of this emerging technology in different areas of particle physics. The Quantum Computing Technology (QCT) group at IFAE hosts a complete laboratory to perform experiments controlling superconducting qubits, including dilution refrigerators, and instrumentation for microwave signal generation and acquisition. The group also has access to a metal evaporator exclusively used to produce superconducting quantum devices. The QCT group is involved in project QRADEs for the use of qubits as detectors of particle physics events.

Required skills and evaluation criteria

This position is for a highly motivated candidate with a good academic record. Previous experience in any experimental areas related to superconducting qubits (previous work in a superconducting qubit lab, cryogenics, fabrication, microwave engineering, finite-element simulation software) will be highly valued. Theoretical knowledge of superconducting qubits is also going to be positively considered. Candidates with international experience and a good level of English will be preferentially considered. The successful candidate is expected to have:

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in quantum physics or satisfy the requirements to be admitted in the Physics PhD program of the UAB (https://www.uab.cat/en/phds/physics ) before the start of the grant.

The evaluation criteria and their weighting for the submitted applications will be the following:

• University grades, 25
• Reference Letters, 20
• Previous experience in the field, 35
• International experience/ English level, 20

What will be your role?

In this position, experiments will be carried out using superconducting qubits aimed to build a detector that is sensitive to dark matter axions and high-frequency gravitational waves. The main goal of the project will be the production of a magnetic field-resilient qubit used as a detector inside a microwave cavity. The different tasks associated to this position will be:

• Design qubit and cavity circuits using dedicated software.
• Fabrication of magnetic field resilient qubits in a cleanroom environment.
• Perform qubit-cavity characterization measurements in a dilution refrigerator.
• Data analysis and calibration of noise levels of qubit as detector.

Offered contract:

• Full-time contract (40 hours/week).
• Predoctoral Contract
• The position will correspond to “Predoctoral Researcher (R1)” within the professional categories of the IFAE.
• Salary will be proportional to experience and qualifications within the corresponding category range.
• Work with interesting experimental science. Travelling to scientific singular infrastructures. Opportunity to gain experience learning first-hand. Personal growth, innovation, and learning every day.
• The selected candidate is expected to join the IFAE as soon as possible.

Application and Selection process:

Applications should be submitted to Dr. Pol Forn (pforndiaz@ifae.es ) and rrhh@ifae.es stating the job reference (IFAE2025/34_QT_SO_PhDStudent) as the subject of the message. The mail should include an up-to-date CV, a motivation letter and a full list of university grades, and arrange to have two letters of reference sent to the above e-mail addresses.

Sending CVs to the above addresses implies consent to the IFAE’s legal warning on data privacy.

The application must contain a personal identification number (DNI, NIE or passport) in order to proceed to the verification of absence of conflict of interest required by Recovery and Resilience Mechanism of the Spanish Government.

IFAE is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace and social integration of people with a disability. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. People from groups that are typically underrepresented in the labour market in general and in Science and Engineering in particular, such as women, minorities, or people with a disability, are particularly encouraged to apply.

A Selection Committee will evaluate the received applications. If more than one candidate seems equally suitable for the position, the Selection Committee will arrange an on-line interview with each one of them as part of the Selection process.

In compliance with article 121 of the Spanish Public Sector Legal Regime Act, staff with a pre-existing relationship with the Consortium administration (Generalitat de Catalunya and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona) will have priority in the awarding of the position.

You may contact Dr. Pol Forn (pforndiaz@ifae.es ) for any questions related to this job opening.

Funding Statement

Esta plaza está financiada en el marco de la acreditación Severo Ochoa de IFAE CEX2024-001441-S (2025–2028), concedida por el MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033.