Microsoft

Principal Quantum Materials Engineer

Microsoft$142K — $274K *
Technical Services
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, or Physics with relevant industry experience (3-12+ years)
  • Deep expertise in thin film deposition techniques (MBE, ALD, reactive sputtering)
  • Extensive experience with thin film structural characterization techniques
  • Strong background in engineering electronic properties of metal-semiconductor interfaces
  • Hands-on experience with superconductor-semiconductor materials or high-k interfaces
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration skills focused on materials and process optimization
  • Ability to drive innovation through AI tools.

Responsibilities

  • Define and refine thin film deposition protocols for complex heterostructures.
  • Design and execute experiments linking deposition conditions with device outcomes.
  • Lead the development and maintenance of thin film deposition systems and diagnostics.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams for coherent process development.
  • Leverage AI tools for accelerated materials discovery and process optimization.
  • Provide technical judgment on materials trade-offs affecting fabrication.
  • Embody and promote company culture and values.

Benefits

  • Access to a cutting-edge R&D environment with interdisciplinary collaboration.
  • Opportunity to work with AI tools in innovative materials development.
  • Involvement in pioneering quantum computing technologies with global impact.
Full Job Description
Overview

Microsoft Quantum is building the world's first scalable quantum computing system, with a full-stack approach spanning materials, devices, systems, and cloud services. Our hardware strategy is centered on topological qubits, which require sophisticated nanofabrication of hybrid semiconductor-superconductor devices with stringent control of interfaces, materials quality, and process integration.

We are seeking a Principal Quantum Materials Engineer to lead the development of superconductor and dielectric materials that directly impact topological qubit performance and scalability. This role is central to translating materials innovation into device-level and system-level impact and carries significant technical ownership across the materials stack. You will work closely with experts in device physics, modeling, fabrication, and characterization in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary R&D environment.

Responsibilities

  • Advanced Heterostructure Growth: Define, implement, and refine thin film deposition protocols for complex superconductor-semiconductor heterostructures and semiconductor-dielectric interfaces; Achieve precise control over interfaces, composition, strain, band offsets, and defect density.


  • Materials-Device Feedback & Experimentation: Design and execute principled, data driven experiments that couple thin film deposition conditions to structure, materials properties, and device outcomes; ensure materials advances translate into measurable qubit improvements; provide technical judgment on materials tradeoffs that influence fabrication flows and process integration decisions.


  • Tooling & Diagnostics Leadership: Design, build, upgrade, and maintain thin film deposition systems and in-situ diagnostics (e.g., RHEED, spectroscopy); develop or integrate new diagnostics and tool capabilities to enable next-generation materials performance;


  • Cross Functional Technical Leadership: Collaborate closely with nanofabrication, characterization, theory, and device teams to enable coherent, end-to-end process development; Communicate complex materials insights clearly across disciplines and help set technical direction where materials are the limiting factor.


  • AI Accelerated Materials Development: Operate effectively in an AI-first R&D environment, using modern AI tools to accelerate discovery and optimization; Design or leverage AI agents/copilots to assist with experiment planning, log analysis, protocol templating, data interpretation, and knowledge retrieval.


  • Other


    • Embody our culture and values


Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related field AND 8+ years' experience in industry or in a research and development environment
    • OR Master's Degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related field AND 6+ years' experience in industry or in a research and development environment
    • OR Doctorate in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related field AND 3+ years' experience in industry or in a research and development environment
    • OR equivalent experience.


Other Requirements:

  • 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 design and build AI agents/copilots that assist with experiment setup, log triage, measurement report generation, protocol templating, and knowledge retrieval (e.g. instrument manuals, design docs)


Additional or Preferred Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related field AND 12+ years' experience in industry or in a research and development environment
    • OR Master's Degree in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related field AND 8+ years' experience in industry or in a research and development environment
    • OR Doctorate in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, or related field AND 5+ years' experience in industry or in a research and development environment
    • OR equivalent experience.
  • 12+ years of experience with thin film deposition techniques including at least one of the following: molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), atomic layer deposition (ALD), or reactive sputtering
  • 12+ years of experience with thin film structural characterization techniques such as ellipsometry, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, or transmission electron microscopy
  • Experience with engineering the electronic properties of metal-semiconductor interfaces
  • Experience with superconductor-semiconductor hybrid materials or III-V/high-k interfaces
  • Experience with optimizing the radio frequency (RF) performance of materials
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams with a focus on materials and process optimization


#Quantum #QuantumCareers #MDQCareers

Quantum Engineering IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

About Microsoft

Microsoft is an American multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services. Microsoft’s devices and consumer (D&C) licensing segment licenses the Windows operating system and related software, Microsoft Office for consumers, and the Windows Phone operating system. The company’s computing and gaming hardware segment provides Xbox gaming and entertainment consoles and accessories, second-party and third-party video games, and Xbox Live subscriptions; surface devices and accessories; and Microsoft PC accessories. Its phone hardware segment offers Lumia smartphones and other non-Lumia phones. Its D&C segment provides Windows Store, Xbox Live transactions, and Windows phone store; search advertising; display advertising; Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal; first-party video games; and other consumer products and services as well as operating retail stores. Microsoft’s commercial licensing segments license server products, including Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs); Windows Embedded; Windows operating system; Microsoft Office for business, including Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, and related CALs; Microsoft Dynamics business solutions; and Skype. Its commercial segment offers enterprise services, including premier support services and Microsoft consulting services; commercial cloud comprising Office 365 Commercial, other Microsoft Office online offerings, Dynamics CRM Online, and Microsoft Azure; and other commercial products and online services. The company markets and distributes its products through original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, as well as online.

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Learn more about Microsoft
Size
181,000 employees
Market Cap
$1,762.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$51.3 billion
Founded
1975
5 Year Trend
+15.5%
Revenue
$153.2 billion
NASDAQ

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