"PhD Position in Quantum Compilation"

Job description

Are you fascinated by the promise of quantum computers and eager to take an active part in realising their full potential? Do you enjoy working in a team of young and motivated researchers? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!

Join our team!

We are looking for a PhD student to join our team and contribute to cutting-edge research in quantum computing, with a focus on quantum compilation. You will join the Theory of Computer Science group (TCS) at the Informatics Institute and will be working together with researchers from QuSoft.

This PhD project aims to push the state-of-the-art in quantum compilation, verification and/or classical simulation. The exact project will be determined in collaboration with you based on your strengths and interests, but could for instance involve developing new techniques for efficiently optimizing quantum computations, both in the near-term and in the fault-tolerant setting, developing new protocols in quantum error correction, finding more efficient ways to classically simulate quantum computations, or prove new foundational properties on the structures underlying quantum computations. A main component of the project will be using the ZX-calculus, a graphical language for reasoning more intuitively about quantum processes.

As PhD student you will be expected to take an active role in QuSoft by attending seminars and presenting your work. Part of your responsibilities will be to TA a small number of courses over the course of your PhD, and potentially to supervise BSc or MSc students.

The PhD candidate will greatly benefit from the active and growing community of quantum computing researchers in Amsterdam. There will be plenty opportunities for collaboration with others and learning about a wide variety of topics in quantum computing and quantum information theory.

What are you going to do?

You are expected to:

• carry out original research in the field of quantum computing;
• have strong analytical and mathematical skills;
• program research-level software;
• take part in ongoing educational activities, such as assisting in courses and guiding student theses at the BSc or MSc level;
• be an active participant in the quantum computing field of research, publishing in peer-reviewed international journals and presenting at top-level conferences.

What do you have to offer?

We are looking for a candidate with:

• an MSc in computer science, mathematics, or a related field;
• a strong scientific interest in quantum computing;
• strong academic performance in university-level courses in computer science, mathematics, or other related fields;
• a demonstrated ability to perform research (for instance in the form of a Master thesis);
• some experience in programming (e.g. in Python), or the willingness to learn;
• the willingness to work collaboratively with other researchers;
• professional command of English and good presentation skills.

Please read until the bottom of the page for instructions on what to upload in your application.

This is what we offer you

We offer a temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The preferred starting date is as early as possible, but up to September 1st 2026 at the latest. This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,059 to € 3,881 (scale P). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile PhD Candidate is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• Multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• A complete educational program for PhD students;
• Multiple courses on topics such as time management, handling stress and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• Partly paid parental leave;
• The possibility to set up a workplace at home;
• A pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• The possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here.

Where you will work

The Faculty of Science (FNWI) has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The mission of the Informatics Institute (IvI) is to perform curiosity-driven and use-inspired fundamental research in Computer Science. The main research themes are Artificial Intelligence, Computational Science and Systems and Network Engineering. Our research involves complex information systems at large, with a focus on collaborative, data driven, computational and intelligent systems, all with a strong interactive component.

The Theory of Computer Science group does research on the theoretical foundations of computer science. The aim is to seek greater understanding of fundamental computational techniques and their inherent limitations.

QuSoft is the Amsterdam Research Center for Quantum Software. It is a collaboration between the University of Amsterdam and the Dutch Centre for Mathematics and Computer Science (CWI). QuSoft’s mission is to develop new protocols, algorithms and applications that can be run on small to full-scale prototypes of a quantum computer. It hosts about 100 people who conduct world-class quantum research, educate the future generations of quantum researchers and explain the wonders of the quantum world to business and the general public.

Application instructions

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the red button. Application review will start November 30th 2025, and will stay open until a suitable candidate has been found, even if this is prior to the final date of the application window on December 31st 2025. We accept applications until and including December 31.

Applications should include the following information:

• a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
• a letter of motivation (at most 1 page) explaining why you are interested in this position;
• a list of all university courses taken, including a transcript of grades;
• a list of publications;
• a report from a research project you have done (e.g., your Master thesis);
• the names and email addresses of two or three references who can provide letters of recommendation (you don’t have to supply the letters of recommendation at time of application).

Please make sure to provide ALL requested documents mentioned above. You can use the CV field to upload all requested documents, including the motivation letter, as one single pdf file. Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered. Please don’t send any applications by email. A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure (for details: national knowledge security guidelines).

Contact

If you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

John van de Wetering, Assistant Professor, j.m.m.vandewetering@uva.nl