£41,064 – £48,822MidFull Time
UE07: £41,064.00 - £48,822.00 Per Annum.
College of Science & Engineering / School of Informatics.
Full Time – 35 Hours Per Week.
Fixed term contract - 24 Month (initial 2-year appointment, with eligibility for a 1-year extension eligible for a 1-year extension following a positive review by the project PI).
The Opportunity:
The Quantum Software Lab (QSL; https://www.quantumsoftwarelab.com), based in the School of Informatics at the University of Edinburgh, invites applications for up to nine Postdoctoral Research Associate positions in areas including, but not limited to:
These roles are an excellent opportunity to actively participate in and shape QSL’s projects, consolidating its position of international leadership in the field. The successful applicant will work inside the largest quantum software academic team in the UK based in one of the most renowned computer science departments in the world. QSL is a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment composed of a diverse cohort of colleagues passionate about bringing quantum computation to reality. This will be a unique experience of professional growth, working on the timely and exciting goal building the foundations of critical part of the quantum computation stack directly under the UK Missions 1 umbrella. Ideal candidates combine research excellence with a results-oriented approach.
We welcome both local (UK-resident) and international applicants from all backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from female researchers, minority ethnic groups, first-generation academics and STEM researchers, and other underrepresented groups in academia. We are also very open to applications from those with non-traditional career paths, including individuals with family, caring, or health-related career breaks, or those who have moved into academia from a career in another sector. We are strongly committed to offering everyone an inclusive and non-discriminatory working environment.
The posts will be for 2 + 1 years: an initial 2-year appointment, with eligibility for a 1-year extension subject to a successful review by the project PI
This post is full-time. We are open to considering requests for hybrid working, on a non-contractual basis, combining remote and regular on-campus working.
For full details of the essential and desirable skills and attributes required for the position, please refer to the full job description here
About the Quantum Software Lab
The Quantum Software Lab (QSL; https://www.quantumsoftwarelab.com) is the largest academic group in the UK focused on quantum software and applications. Strategically located within the UK’s growing quantum ecosystem, Edinburgh serves as a key hub for quantum technology development thanks to its close partnership with the National Quantum Computing Centre (https://www.nqcc.ac.uk). QSL aims to further develop its world-leading research capabilities in support of the UK’s National Quantum Strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-quantum-strategy/national-quantum-strategy-missions ), in particular Mission 1, which focuses on developing UK-based quantum computers capable of performing 1 trillion coherent operations (TeraQuOps) by 2035. QSL currently comprises approximately 70 researchers, including 11 cross-college faculty members, under the leadership of Prof. Elham Kashefi, the NQCC Chief Scientist. Over the past few years, QSL has made significant contributions to quantum software and algorithms, producing more than 140 publications.
As a “Bell Labs-style” collective of senior faculty, postdoctoral researchers, innovation fellows, and professional staff working towards shared Mission 1 goals, QSL collaborates with industry professionals and NQCC quantum applications engineers to transform existing computational challenges into research problems that can be tackled using quantum technologies. Its researchers and scientists work alongside government, industry, and academia to develop full-stack solutions tailored to the needs of the economy and society.
The Lab’s main research programme, Quantum Advantage Turbo Charger (“QATCH”) has been developed to support the National Quantum Computing Centre and the UK’s quantum community in achieving the goals of the National Quantum Technology Missions.
Over the next four years, QATCH will deliver the UK’s first integrated software and verification infrastructure through a coordinated suite of tools. At its core, QATCH operates through a two-dimensional structure linking three research pillars: (i) Quantum Advantage Engine; (ii) HPC and Fault-Tolerant Architecture; and (iii) Performance Evaluation, with six application sectors in healthcare, materials, cybersecurity, finance, energy, and AI. The pillars develop methods, systems, and tools, while the sectors provide data, challenges, and end-user validation. Together, they form the QATCH workflow from theory to deployment, where research is verified on national testbeds and benchmarked against measurable sector metrics.
We're building a research environment that combines the intellectual freedom of Bell Labs with the urgency and impact of a focused startup. We offer the opportunity to work on hard, long-term problems that matter with the autonomy to follow promising directions without navigating corporate bureaucracy. We value researchers who can balance scientific rigor with pragmatic execution: people who want to ship real solutions to real problems, energized by turning research into impact. QSL provides a tight-knit team of exceptional researchers, the freedom to publish your work, and the rare opportunity to see your ideas go from concept to demonstration, all within a highly stimulating intellectual environment.
How to apply
Please include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter (The cover letter should include a brief research statement of up to 3 pages, describing the applicant’s research interests, relevant experience, publications, and fit for the position.)
For informal enquiries, please contact QuantumSoftwareLab@ed.ac.uk.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab).
The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant.
Key dates to note
Closing date 5th June 2026.
Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone.
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