Associate Staff 3: Quantum Science and Engineering

Job Overview

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Level 3 Associate Staff provide critical multi-domain innovative research to the Laboratory’s national security mission. They prototype solutions for state-of-the art technology and engage in many steps of a program(s) lifecycle with increasing independence and responsibility in collaboration with project leaders. As a successful Level 3 Associate Staff candidate, you will independently contribute to multi-disciplinary efforts, may lead small projects/teams, contribute to sponsor briefings, write test plans and reports, apply complex and creative solutions to solving technical problems, ultimately improving the Laboratory’s advanced technologies. You will bring technical depth to a singular several areas of expertise/specialty, build a broader more robust understanding of adjacent disciplines, program objectives and sponsor needs, and integrate it all through the lens of the Laboratory’s mission. 

As a successful Level 3 Associate Staff, you will have solid technical depth, sound judgment, and the initiative to work independently on less-defined assignments. You will adapt established approaches, own discrete project/program components of technical work, contribute to program documentation and reporting, and collaborate with project/program teams across the Laboratory. Your work will include multiple activities such as hardware and software development, systems analysis, data analysis, component fabrication, system integration, testing, and documentation. 

Additional Job Overview Details

The Advanced Quantum Technologies Group seeks a highly motivated, detail-oriented, curious, and driven physicist, applied physicist, or electrical engineer with hands-on laboratory experience. The successful candidate will join a close-knit, dynamic team pushing the forefront of quantum sensing, with emphasis on solid-state spin-based sensors and their integration into practical systems. As an active participant in cutting-edge research and development, the candidate can expect to face novel physics and engineering problems that require creative solutions daily. This position involves working at the forefront of quantum technology to develop quantum sensing and imaging systems and the applications for these systems.

The candidate will contribute to building optical testbeds and sensing prototypes; integrating optical, RF/microwave, electronic, mechanical, and cryogenic subsystems; developing measurement control software and data analysis pipelines; performing precision measurements; and assisting in optimizing sensor performance in alignment with application and system-level requirements. The successful candidate will have opportunities to grow into increasing technical responsibility as part of the Laboratory’s expanding quantum sensing portfolio.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Owns and executes discrete design and development tasks such as data analyses, programming, designs, tests, models, simulations, or integration tasks within broader project or program efforts. 
• Applies relevant technical knowledge to solve less-defined and moderately complex problems, independently identifying appropriate methods and adapts existing approaches as needed. 
• May contribute to system, subsystem, or component-level development activities that may span multiple disciplines, mission needs, products, or technical focus areas. 
• Develops, reviews, and contributes to technical documentation, program reporting, data analyses, design materials, and presentations based on ambiguous policies and procedures. 
• Collaborates with project team members to ensure milestones, assumptions, dependencies, and technical risks are understood and addressed. 
• Begins to provide practical guidance to less experienced staff by explaining technical concepts, sharing methods, and reviewing selected work products for accuracy, providing feedback as needed. 
• Consistently demonstrates initiative by seeking opportunities to lead new assignments and improve technical approaches, while continuously deepening mission-aligned engineering expertise. 

Additional Job Duties & Responsibilities

Applicants should have a broad skillset and a willingness to work on a wide variety of tasks as needed. Typical tasks are:

• Hardware development, design, and construction (e.g. optical, RF/microwave, electronic, mechanical, cryogenic subsystems)
• Build and maintain optical testbeds and magnetic sensing prototypes
• System engineering and system integration
• Test and measurement
• Physics modeling of quantum systems
• Software programming for instrument control and data acquisition
• Data analysis and signal/image processing
• Laboratory validation and field testing

While a broad set of skills is desired, the majority of day-to-day tasks will be tailored to the applicant's specific interests and strengths. Applicants should be comfortable both working alone in a self-directed manner and also working closely with a highly integrated larger team.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 0+ years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Solid technical depth in a primary engineering, research, or other technical domain with ability to apply knowledge independently. 
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems and manage components of project work. 
• Experience contributing to technical documentation, analyses, reports, presentations, or project deliverables. 
• Ability to collaborate across project teams and communicate technical information clearly to appropriate audiences. 
• Emerging ability to guide less experienced colleagues and contribute to team capability development. 

Additional Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• Basic laboratory experience (e.g., familiarity with oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, analog circuits)
• Comfort with fundamental physical concepts and rigorous analytical analysis
• Experience in self-directed and group technical projects and research endeavors
• Experience using MATLAB and/or Mathematica
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team

Preferred Qualifications

• Laser and optics experience
• RF, microwave, or analog circuit design
• Familiarity with spin systems, magnetometry, or solid-state defect centers
• Coursework or research experience in atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) physics or solid-state physics
• Scientific programming skills (Python, MATLAB, LabView, Mathematica, etc.)
• Experience with signal processing, image reconstruction, or sensor data analysis
• CAD design (e.g. SolidWorks)
• Embedded systems programming
• Familiarity with cryogenic, vacuum, or field-deployable instrumentation systems