Career
Internship at University of Innsbruck’s Distributed Quantum Systems Group
Open to master students, PhD candidates and young professionals | Internship period: Minimum of 1 month (ideally starting in July)
Trapped ions are a powerful platform for realizing the processing nodes of future quantum networks, which will be distributed across cities and, eventually, between countries.
In our group, we are currently developing a new multi-qubit ion-trap network node. This node will become part of our distributed network in Innsbruck and will be used to develop applications in distributed quantum computing and quantum sensing.
View into the vacuum chamber. The ion trap is made of gold-coated titanium electrodes and is attached to the top of the vacuum chamber. The optical cavity is formed by two mirrors in bluish titanium holders and sits on piezo stacks for cavity length control (the four wires supplying voltage to the piezos are visible). The cavity is attached, via translation stages (not shown), to the bottom vacuum chamber flange.
An internship is available to set up and develop the central experimental control system for the new processing node. The control system is a classical network that links a central computer to various devices for monitoring and controlling trapped ions. These devices include acousto-optic components for manipulating laser pulses, precision voltage supplies for adjusting electric fields in the ion trap, single-photon detectors, and imaging cameras for reading ion-emitted photons.
Key tasks include setting up locally developed ion-trap control software, connecting and controlling the necessary devices, and testing the system on a functioning ion-trap setup. The intern will work closely with a current PhD student. The ideal candidate should be able to work independently within a short time period and be interested in, and capable of, hands-on work in the lab.
Internship supervisor
Ben Lanyon, Distributed Quantum Systems group, Institut f. Experimentalphysik
About UIBK’s Distributed Quantum Systems Group
In our group, we work on developing methods to establish entanglement between remote quantum systems and using that capability to realize new scientific and technological applications. Our remote quantum systems are equivalent to registers of spins, in which entanglement can be stored and processed, that are linked together using photons. More information here.
Interested in this internship? Send an application on or before 31 May 2025!
To submit an application, send your CV (max 2 pages) and motivation letter to info@quantuminternetalliance.org on or before 31 May 2025. Kindly write “INTERNSHIP APPLICATION” on the subject line of your email.
*List of eligible countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden
In the photo: University of Innsbruck's Distributed Quantum Systems Group led by Assoc. Prof. Ben Lanyon
The University of Innsbruck is currently the largest research and education institution in Tyrol and third largest in Austria according to student population. Four researchers at the University of Innsbruck were distinguished as nobel laureates.
