Internship — Quantum Algorithms and Applications for Linear Algebra & Hamiltonian Simulation

We invite highly motivated students and early-career researchers to join IBM Research Europe in Zurich for a research internship at the intersection of artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The internship focuses on the development of novel quantum algorithms with application in Hamiltonian simulation, their acceleration using AI-based approaches, and their implementation on both current-generation and future fault-tolerant quantum hardware. Working closely with researchers from the Quantum and AI teams, you will contribute to the development and benchmarking of new algorithms with potential application to scientifically and industrially relevant computational problems.

What you will do

• Develop novel quantum algorithms in linear algebra, Hamiltonian simulation, and related scientific computing applications.
• Validate and benchmark novel quantum-computing algorithms on IBM Quantum hardware.
• Explore novel sample-based approaches (e.g., SqDRIFT) for calculating ground- and excited-state properties of physically relevant Hamiltonians.
• Contribute to the development of new methods for simulating Fermionic lattice systems on IBM Quantum hardware.
• Explore synergies between the development of quantum algorithms and AI-driven methods for algorithmic improvement, resource estimation, and performance analysis.
• Develop high-quality, reproducible research software and contribute to technical reports, publications, and open-source projects when appropriate.

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a Master's or PhD program in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with quantum computing frameworks such as Qiskit or equivalent quantum software platforms.
• Solid understanding of quantum algorithms and quantum information.
• Familiarity with machine learning concepts and data-driven methods.
• Strong Python programming skills and sound software engineering practices.
• Experience working in Linux environments and using git-based development workflows.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a collaborative research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Hamiltonian simulation, quantum chemistry, condensed matter physics, or related application domains.
• Familiarity with advanced quantum simulation techniques (e.g. randomized algorithms and qubitization-based approaches).
• Experience in executing quantum-computing simulations on superconducting quantum devices.
• Experience applying AI methods to scientific computing, physics, or algorithms.
• Experience with high-performance computing, experiment orchestration, containers, and reproducible research workflows.
• Scientific writing experience and a track record of well-documented research software.

Location, Timing, and Format

• Location: IBM Research Europe – Zurich, Switzerland
• Duration: 3 months
• Supervision: Researchers from the AI and Quantum teams, with access to IBM Quantum systems and research infrastructure.