PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
In a context where Alice & Bob is building a fault-tolerant quantum computer based on cat qubits, the Quantum Compilation Intern helps quantum programs run efficiently on this architecture. Reporting to the Senior Quantum Compilation Scientist, you will work closely with the Compilation team to develop, implement and integrate modern compilation algorithms that exploit the properties of cat qubits, in particular their noise bias toward phase-flip errors.
The internship starts between January and March 2027 and lasts 6 months!
Responsibilities:
- Study cat-qubit physics, including the noise bias toward phase-flip errors, and the resulting gate set, connectivity and error-correction constraints
- Study modern compiler design, from front end to code generation, and the structure of the company's existing compiler
- Survey circuit synthesis, routing and optimization techniques and assess their relevance to cat-qubit architectures
- Design and implement compiler intermediate representations (IRs)
- Implement compilation passes and integrate them into the company's compiler
- Test and document the implemented passes
- Measure the resource costs of compiled programs, such as qubit count, gate count and runtime
- Compare the results with existing compilation approaches and report the findings
Requirements:
- EDUCATION: Currently enrolled in a Master's program (M1 or M2) or the final year of an engineering school, in physics, computer science or applied mathematics
LANGUAGES: Proficient in English
EXPERIENCE: No minimum professional experience required; prior projects in quantum computing, compilers or scientific software are an advantage - Knowledge of quantum computing fundamentals: quantum circuits, gate sets and quantum error correction
- Understanding of compiler concepts: intermediate representations, compilation passes and program analysis
- Solid grounding in algorithms and data structures, including graph algorithms
- Software engineering practices: version control (Git), testing and documentation
- Ability to read, synthesize and apply scientific literature
- Scientific rigor, autonomy and clear written and oral communication
- Proficiency in Python; experience with a compiled language such as C++ or Rust is a plus
You are a student with a strong foundation in both quantum computing and computer science, and an interest in the interface between quantum hardware and software. You can translate methods from the scientific literature into working, tested code. You work autonomously while seeking regular feedback from the team.