Career Opportunities

Tenure-track Joint Faculty Opening in Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering in Quantum Computing at Northwestern University

Northwestern University invites outstanding candidates who are excited by the opportunity to help build the future of quantum computing and quantum information science in a world-class university to apply for a full-time, tenure-track faculty appointment at the departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The new appointment will be joint between the two departments at the rank of Assistant Professor. Specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to, quantum algorithms, quantum computing, quantum information, quantum error correction and mitigation, post-quantum cryptography, quantum systems architecture, quantum software systems, and other design areas related to quantum information science and quantum computing. The new hire will have opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration via broad research initiatives and centers at Northwestern, including the Institute for Quantum Information Research and Engineering (INQUIRE), the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center (SQMS), the Northwestern-Fermilab Center for Applied Physics & Superconducting Technologies (CAPST), the Center for Molecular Quantum Transduction (CMQT), and other centers and initiatives at Northwestern, as well as in collaboration with National Laboratories, including Fermilab, Argonne, Oak Ridge, Brookhaven, and NIST.

Northwestern University is a leading R1 university comprising a number of highly ranking schools that provide extraordinary opportunities for collaboration across a wide range of disciplines. Located in Evanston, on the shores of lake Michigan, just outside the diverse and culturally vibrant city of Chicago, Northwestern faculty have ample opportunities to connect with the city’s growing technology sector. In recent years, the Chicago region has enjoyed a multi-billion growth in Quantum Science and Engineering, including the groundbreaking DARPA-Illinois Quantum Proving Ground, the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), and other large-scale initiatives leveraging federal, state, public and private investments, such as the Bloch EDA Tech Hub, and the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE). The Chicago region was designated a US Tech Hub for quantum technologies by the Biden-Harris administration, and is already receiving pioneering quantum companies as tenants of its quantum campus. Northwestern University is a vital part of this vibrant ecosystem, and is committed to interdisciplinary research (see for example the CS+X initiative) leveraging Northwestern’s unique strengths and world-class schools.

We encourage candidates to send their applications as soon as possible. Applications received by December 1, 2024, will be given full consideration. Applications received after December 1 will be considered on a rolling basis. The positions will remain open until filled. Applicants should submit (1) a cover letter indicating the rank applied for, (2) a curriculum vitae, (3) three to five letters of reference, (4) a statement of research interests, (5) a statement of teaching philosophy, (6) an optional personal statement that addresses how the candidate contributes to diverse excellence, and (7) two representative publications. Application instructions can be found at the Department of Computer Science website. For general questions about the search or application assistance post submission, please contact cs-ece-faculty-search@northwestern.edu.

The expected base pay range for this position is $130,000-$145,000. This base pay range is for a nine-month academic appointment, does not include summer salary, and is subject to negotiation. Research discretionary funding will also be provided. Summer salary, including from sponsored projects, may also be available. Northwestern University has provided a pay range representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for the position. The pay offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors including (but not limited to) the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate including years since terminal degree, training, and field or discipline; departmental budget availability; internal equity; and external market pay for comparable jobs.

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