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Livermore Center for Quantum Science Summer Internship
The Livermore Center for Quantum Science (LCQS) offers students opportunities to engage in exciting learning experiences through three-month paid summer internships.
Interns participate in projects led by LLNL scientists in areas such as quantum algorithm development, quantum sensing, noise characterization for superconducting qubits, and ion trap design and testing.
LCQS interns:
- Work with scientists performing research in quantum computing and/or quantum sensing using experimental, theoretical, and computational tools.
- Form long-term connections with LLNL scientists who work in quantum information science.
- Become familiar with world-class laboratories and capabilities.
- Present their work through presentations and poster sessions.
- Attend laboratory tours, journal clubs, and regular group meetings.
Apply today
Applications for summer 2025 are now open. These positions are three-month appointments in the May–September timeframe—the exact dates are flexible to accommodate academic commitments.
To apply, visit the LLNL job search webpage and search for the following postings:
- Undergraduate students: REF6483N
- Graduate students: REF6484X
In your application, list up to three mentors from our mentor list you would want to work with and why.
Application deadline: January 12, 2025
Applicants can anticipate acceptances in mid- to late February 2025.
Mentor biographies
Your internship includes working with a mentor on a specific project. Before applying, review the list of potential mentors and the keywords that describe the type of project(s) they anticipate offering this summer. Most mentors will accept one intern this summer. Each intern will have at least two people—their primary mentor and a secondary technical mentor (who may not be listed here)—who they are in regular contact with throughout the term of their internship.
In your application, list up to three mentors you would want to work with and why.
Dr. Kristin (Kristi) Beck is a staff scientist in the LLNL Quantum Coherent Device Physics Group and the director of the Livermore Center for Quantum Science. Her research spans multiple hardware implementations for quantum computing (superconducting transmons, trapped ions) and multiple levels of the quantum computing stack. She expects to have projects this summer related to designing, modeling and testing 3D-printed ion traps.
Project keywords: experimental | modeling | quantum computing
Dr. Gianpaolo (GP) Carosi is a staff scientist in the LLNL Rare Event Detection Group and is Co-Spokesperson for the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX), which uses near quantum limited superconducting amplifiers connected to a large volume, frequency tunable microwave resonator in a high magnetic field to look for ultra-light dark matter particles called axions. His research focuses on developing and deploying the high-Q microwave resonators and investigating methods to increase signal to noise and scan rates with new detection strategies. This summer, he anticipates having projects that address how to use multi-cavity systems coherently for future axion searches and study coatings for magnetic field tolerant superconducting cavities.
Project keywords: experimental | modeling | fabrication | quantum sensing
Yujin Cho is a research scientist in the Quantum Coherent Device Physics group at LLNL. Her research interests include understanding two level system defects on superconducting devices, and optimal quantum gate design. She anticipates offering projects in simulating superconducting qubits with reduced geometric sensitivity to material defects and improving entangling gates on a multi-qubit chip using quantum optimal control.
Project keywords: experimental | modeling | quantum computing
Audrey Eshun
Audrey Eshun is a staff scientist in the Material Science Division and researcher within the Livermore Center for Quantum Science. Her research spans a variety of microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, looking at optics and biology. She has expertise in utilizing quantum light for light-matter interaction studies including fluorescence and imaging. She expects to have a project this summer expanding on the development of a 3-dimensional quantum microscope. where quantum entangled photon pairs are used to illuminate an object. The image is collected at orthogonal positions and correlated to form a 3D volumetric image. This project utilizes quantum optics via SPDC light generation and involves computational work to reconstruct images from quantum correlations.
Project keywords: experimental | modeling | quantum sensing
Dr. Frank Graziani is the director of the High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Center with interests in quantum computing applications to HEDS. He joined LLNL in 1989 as a computational physicist working in the field of radiation transport and plasma physics. He has had multiple careers at LLNL in computational physics, simulation code and various leadership roles. Graziani’s research interests span the micro-physics of dense plasmas using N-body simulation tools, kinetic equations, and quantum hydrodynamics. He anticipates offering joint projects with Dr. Ilon Joseph this summer that develop quantum algorithms for turbulence in fluid dynamics and investigate quantum phase transitions in correlated systems.
Project keywords: modeling | quantum computing | quantum algorithms | high energy density science | remote internship possible
Vito Iaia
Dr. Vito Iaia is a postdoctoral researcher in the Quantum Coherent Device Physics group at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Vito’s research is based on characterizing and mitigating noise sources created by particle impact events and fabrication impurities in superconducting qubits. Much of his work is also involved in qubit characterization, quantum sensors, and novel qubit design. He expects to offer projects ranging from scalable multi-qubit designs and novel techniques of characterizing noise sources in superconducting electronics.
Project keywords: experimental | modeling | quantum computing | quantum sensing
Dr. Ilon Joseph is a theoretical and computational physicist with interests in plasma physics, magnetic fusion energy, nonlinear dynamics, quantum computing and quantum information science. His specific interests in quantum computing include developing efficient quantum algorithms for simulating dynamical systems, solving generalized eigenvalue problems research, and demonstrating these algorithms on present-day quantum computing hardware platforms. He anticipates offering joint projects with Dr. Frank Graziani this summer that develop quantum algorithms for turbulence in fluid dynamics and investigate quantum phase transitions in correlated systems.
Project keywords: modeling | quantum computing | quantum algorithms | high energy density science | remote internship possible
Nicholas Materise
Dr. Nicholas (Nick) Materise is an early career staff scientist in the LLNL Quantum Coherent Device Physics Group. His research focuses on superconducting circuit-based quantum computing and sensing. This summer, he expects to have projects in modeling and measuring superconducting qubit-based quantum sensors for scanning particle search experiments.
Project keywords: experimental | modeling | quantum computing | quantum sensing | remote internship possible
Dr. Qu is a staff scientist in the Nanoscale, Surface, and Interface Science Group. Her research centers on developing scalable quantum-classical interfaces with applications in quantum computing control and readout. This summer, she anticipates having projects involving advanced experimental characterization of quantum materials and devices.
Project keywords: experimental | modeling | quantum sensing
Xiaoxing Xia is a staff scientist at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, California, USA. He leads projects in developing next generation multi-photon 3D printing technologies to achieve higher throughput, finer resolution, and multi-materials printing capability. His team utilizes a suite of advanced manufacturing technologies for applications in responsive and architected materials, energy storage, carbon recycling, microfluidics, quantum computing, and inertial confinement fusion. This summer, he anticipates offering a project designing, fabricating and characterizing 3D-printed ion traps.
Project keywords: experimental | quantum computing | fabrication
Have questions about the internship?
Contact us at lcqs [at] llnl.gov (lcqs[at]llnl[dot]gov) with the subject “LCQS internship inquiry.”
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