Senior Quantum Materials UHV Hardware Engineer

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  UHV System Design & Construction: Design, build, and commission custom UHV chambers and materials deposition systems capable of achieving base pressures ~10⁻¹¹ Torr; Specify and integrate pumps, gauges, manipulators, motion systems, heaters, cryogenic components, and in‑vacuum diagnostics; Drive system‑level trade‑offs balancing flexibility, reliability, and experimental performance.

• Thermal & Environmental Control: Design and implement variable‑temperature stages and subsystems supporting materials deposition and processing from ~1000 °C down to cryogenic (liquid helium) temperatures; Ensure thermal stability, reproducibility, and compatibility with sensitive quantum materials.

• Platform Evolution & Experiment Enablement: Adapt hardware platforms to evolving materials, deposition, and characterization requirements; Partner with experimental teams to translate new scientific needs into practical hardware modifications or next‑generation system designs; Support commissioning, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of UHV tools.

• Cross‑Functional Technical Leadership: Collaborate across quantum materials, fabrication, measurement, theory, and software teams to ensure hardware capabilities align with program needs; Seek, integrate, and act on technical input across disciplines to accelerate experimental progress.

• AI‑Accelerated Operations; Leverage modern AI tools to improve system monitoring, log analysis, documentation, and failure diagnosis; Develop or utilize AI agents/copilots to assist with experiment setup, log triage, protocol templating, and knowledge retrieval.

• Other

• • Embody our culture and values.

Required Qualifications

• Doctorate in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 1+ year(s) experience in industry or in a research and development environment, could include completion of a post doctoral research position

• • OR Master's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment

• • OR Bachelor's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment

• • OR equivalent experience.

Other Requirements

Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings:

• Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
• Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This role will require access to information that is controlled for export under export control regulations, potentially under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR), the EU Dual Use Regulation, and/or other export control regulations. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide either proof of their country of citizenship or proof of their U.S. permanent residency or other protected status (e.g., under 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)) for assessment of eligibility to access the export-controlled information. To meet this legal requirement, and as a condition of employment, the successful candidate’s citizenship will be verified with a valid passport. Lawful permanent residents, refugees, and asylees may verify status using other documents, where applicable.
• Ability to leverage AI tools to drive innovation and efficiency (e.g., performance modeling and analysis, research gathering, day-to-day task automation).
• Ability to work in an “AI-first” environment using modern AI tools to accelerate discovery through hardware development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctorate in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 1+ year(s) experience in industry or in a research and development environment, could include completion of a post doctoral research position

• • OR Master's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 4+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment

• • OR Bachelor's Degree in Physics, Engineering, or related field AND 6+ years experience in industry or in a research and development environment

• • OR equivalent experience.

• Master’s degree in Physics, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field AND 3+ years of experience in advanced R&D or industrial environments

• • OR PhD in a related field with hands‑on experimental hardware experience.

• Demonstrated experience designing or operating UHV systems and materials deposition tools.

• Proficiency with 3D CAD and visualization tools (e.g., SolidWorks or equivalent).

• Hands‑on experience with machining, metal fabrication, or close collaboration with machine shops.

• Proven track record building or significantly upgrading UHV systems for advanced materials or quantum‑relevant experiments.

• Experience supporting materials growth platforms (e.g., MBE, evaporation, sputtering) or closely coupled UHV processing tools.

• Familiarity with cryogenic hardware, thermal design, and vibration‑sensitive systems.

• Documentation practices and ability to communicate complex hardware designs clearly.

#Quantum #QuantumCareers #MDQCareers

Why Microsoft Quantum

At Microsoft Quantum, we tackle long‑horizon engineering challenges at the boundary of science and technology. In this role, you will help define the hardware platforms that make quantum‑grade materials possible—working with world‑class scientists and engineers to push beyond current limits and enable scalable quantum computing.