Quantum Physics Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Tyto Athene is seeking a Quantum Science Lead to provide scientific leadership across our Quantum Practice, with primary emphasis on quantum sensing, quantum networking, and quantum hardware readiness. This individual will help translate advances in quantum science into practical mission applications for U.S. Federal Government, Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and National Security customers.

The successful candidate will shape Tyto Athene’s technical point of view on quantum sensing and networking, monitor the evolution of quantum computing hardware, and advise customers and internal teams on where emerging quantum technologies can create mission value.

Responsibilities:

Quantum Sensing

• Lead Tyto Athene’s strategy and technical point of view for quantum sensing, with emphasis on practical customer applications and near- to mid-term mission relevance.
• Identify and prioritize quantum sensing use cases across areas such as precision timing, positioning and navigation, electromagnetic sensing, gravimetry, imaging, RF sensing, inertial sensing, and advanced measurement.
• Assess the maturity, performance, and deployment readiness of quantum sensing technologies, including sensitivity, stability, size, weight, power, environmental constraints, and integration requirements.
• Translate quantum sensing advances into customer-relevant concepts, including mission applications, pilot opportunities, demonstrations, and transition strategies.
• Help shape differentiated offerings around quantum sensing assessment, roadmap development, mission discovery, pilot design, and technology transition.

Quantum Networking

• Lead Tyto Athene’s technical perspective on quantum networking and quantum communications beyond PQC migration.
• Track developments in entanglement distribution, quantum repeaters, quantum memories, quantum transduction, distributed quantum sensing, and quantum network testbeds.
• Assess the maturity, deployment constraints, infrastructure dependencies, standards activity, and realistic adoption timelines for quantum networking technologies.
• Identify customer use cases where quantum networking may create future value, including secure communications concepts, distributed sensing, time synchronization, and connections between future quantum systems.
• Partner with the PQC lead to maintain clear swim lanes between cryptographic modernization, QKD-related concepts, quantum-secure communications, and broader quantum networking strategy.

Quantum Science and Hardware Readiness

• Serve as a senior scientific authority within the Quantum Practice, with emphasis on quantum devices, sensing, networking, and hardware readiness.
• Monitor progress across quantum computing hardware modalities and assess implications for customer missions, adoption timelines, technical risk, and investment decisions.
• Evaluate emerging quantum hardware architectures, including maturity, scalability, error correction trajectory, operational constraints, and relevance to future customer use cases.
• Work with the Quantum Algorithm lead to assess how hardware advances may affect algorithm feasibility, benchmarking, and customer-facing roadmaps, while preserving algorithm development as a separate swim lane.
• Develop technical papers, white papers, briefings, and thought leadership materials that advance Tyto Athene’s quantum capabilities and support customer missions.

Required:

• PhD in Quantum Physics, Quantum Information Science, Applied Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a closely related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum information science, quantum devices, or related fields.
• Deep understanding of quantum mechanics, quantum information science, and at least one applied quantum technology domain such as quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum communications, or quantum hardware systems.
• Strong familiarity with quantum sensing and/or quantum networking technologies, including current maturity, operational constraints, and potential mission applications.
• Working knowledge of quantum computing hardware architectures and the technical factors affecting hardware readiness, scalability, and adoption timelines.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications, technical research, patents, or other recognized contributions to the field.
• Ability to communicate complex scientific concepts to both technical and executive audiences.
• Experience leading research initiatives and influencing technical strategy.

Desired:

• Experience prototyping, demonstrating, or transitioning a quantum sensing or networking capability.
• Experience supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, Department of Energy, national laboratory, or federally funded research programs.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams spanning physics, mathematics, software engineering, AI/ML, and systems engineering.
• Patents, publications, or recognized contributions in quantum sensing, quantum networking, quantum communications, quantum devices, measurement science, or quantum hardware systems.
• Experience mentoring scientists, researchers, or engineers and helping bridge theoretical research with practical implementation.

Clearance:

• Active TS/SCI clearance or ability to obtain one.

Compensation:

• Compensation is unique to each candidate and relative to the skills and experience they bring to the position. The salary range for this position is typically between $175,000 and $275,000. This does not guarantee a specific salary as compensation is based upon multiple factors such as education, experience, certifications, and other requirements, and may fall outside of the above-stated range.