PhD Position - Quantum Error Correction Codes for Cat Qubits (Quantum Error Correction)

Location: Paris, France; hybrid work arrangement with flexible remote work up to 40% per month. The role includes secondments at Inria in France, TU Delft in the Netherlands, and the University of Navarra in Spain.

Salary: €37,000–€47,000 per month as stated; gross salary of €37,000 in year 1, €42,000 in year 2, and €47,000 in year 3.

Company

Alice & Bob is developing a universal, fault-tolerant quantum computer based on superconducting Schrödinger cat qubits.

What you will do

• Develop and benchmark high-rate, biased-noise-adapted quantum error-correction codes and logical-gate protocols using lifted-product and asymmetric-distance constructions.
• Co-design logical operations, including homomorphic CNOT, transversal Clifford operations, and algorithmic subroutines, while considering noise bias, connectivity, and measurement constraints.
• Validate designs through hardware-in-the-loop simulations and small-scale cat-qubit experiments, measuring space–time efficiency and logical-error suppression.
• Benchmark biased-noise performance and decoder compatibility, contributing feedback to the network’s architecture and decoder work packages.
• Contribute to an open library of codes, logical protocols, datasets, and reproducible tools; publish results and present them at international conferences.
• Complete the QuBriC doctoral training programme, secondments, outreach, and open-science activities.

Requirements

• MSc degree in Quantum Engineering or Physics completed by the recruitment date.
• Demonstrated background in quantum information or quantum computing through coursework, a thesis, or research projects shown on the CV.
• Proficiency in scientific programming with Python.
• Proficiency in English, written and oral.
• MSCA eligibility: must not already hold a doctoral degree at the recruitment date.
• MSCA mobility eligibility: must not have resided or carried out the main activity in France for more than 12 months during the 36 months immediately before recruitment.
• Full-time availability for the 36-month appointment, including the secondments.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with quantum error correction, stabilizer formalism, and fault-tolerant logic.
• Familiarity with the physics of cat qubits.
• Experience with quantum error-correction simulation or resource-estimation tooling and open, reproducible science.
• Prior research experience in a quantum-computing company or laboratory, including an internship or research assistantship.

Culture & Benefits

• Employment contract with Alice & Bob SAS for 36 months and full French social-security coverage.
• Hybrid work with flexible remote work up to 40% per month.
• 25 days of vacation, transportation-cost coverage, meal vouchers, health coverage, and a stocked kitchen.
• Parental benefits including crèche support or additional days off, plus mental-health support.
• French language courses, subsidized sports membership, patent-related bonuses, and opportunities for learning and open collaboration.

Hiring process

• Applications may be supported by AI tools for application and resume review, response assessment, and consistency checks.
• Final hiring decisions are made by humans.