Postdoctoral Researcher - Quantum Computing Simulation (NESAP @ NERSC)

The National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) at Berkeley Lab seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher - Quantum Computing Simulation (NESAP @ NERSC) postdoctoral fellow to join NERSC's Workflow Readiness team to help research teams run quantum-related workflows at scale on the upcoming Doudna supercomputer. You'll collaborate with NERSC staff and scientists, and partners at NVIDIA and Dell, to analyze performance, improve portability and reliability, and bring new workflow capabilities to thousands of users across DOE Office of Science programs.

What You Will Do:

• Contribute to one or more NESAP projects that target NERSC HPC systems.

• Analyze and optimize quantum-related workflows, including classical simulation of quantum systems.

• Develop and apply advanced workflow capabilities such as on-system classical simulations, AI-assisted acceleration, at-scale performance improvements for quantum libraries, and containerized quantum workflows.

• Publish and present results in peer-reviewed venues and conferences. Engage in community knowledge-sharing (e.g. tutorials for the NERSC user base).

What is Required:

• PhD awarded within the last five years in Physics, Computational Chemistry, Computational Science, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.

• Programming experience in one or more of: Python, C++, Fortran, Julia.

• Ability to work effectively on interdisciplinary teams.

• Clear written and oral communication with a record of leading and reporting results.

Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge of quantum computing algorithms.

• Familiarity with tensor network methods.

• Experience programming GPUs.

• Experience implementing, optimizing, or integrating quantum libraries such as Itensor, CUDA-Q, Qiskit, or PennyLane.

• Experience debugging and profiling distributed-memory parallel applications.

• Knowledge of Git and modern software practices such as unit testing, CI/CD, and collaborative development.

Notes:

• This is a full-time, 2 year, postdoctoral appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience. Salary for Postdoctoral positions depends on years of experience post-degree.

• This position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes.

• The monthly salary range for this position is $8,570 - $9,935 and is expected to start at $8,570 or above. Postdoctoral positions are paid on a step schedule per union contract and salaries will be predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates. Each step represents one full year of completed post-Ph.D. postdoctoral experience.

• This position is subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.

• This position requires substantial on-site presence, but is eligible for a flexible work mode, and hybrid schedules may be considered. Hybrid work is a combination of performing work on-site at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA and some telework. Individuals working a hybrid schedule must reside within 150 miles of Berkeley Lab. Work schedules are dependent on business needs. In rare cases, full-time telework or remote work modes may be considered. A REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification is required to access Berkeley Lab sites.

Want to learn more about working at Berkeley Lab? Please visit: careers.lbl.gov

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: The foundation of Berkeley Lab is our Stewardship Values: Team Science, Service, Trust, Innovation, and Respect; and we strive to build community with these shared values and commitments. Berkeley Lab is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We heartily welcome applications from all who could contribute to the Lab's mission of leading scientific discovery, excellence, and professionalism. In support of our rich global community, all qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under State and Federal law.

Berkeley Lab is a University of California employer. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.