Research Fellow: Research fellow: The energy cost of non-classicality (M/F)

Organisation/Company

CNRS

Department

MajuLab

Research Field

Physics

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)

Country

France

Application Deadline

10 Mar 2025 - 23:59 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Hours Per Week

35

Offer Starting Date

3 Nov 2025

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by a EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

A Research Fellow position is open in the group of Alexia Auffèves (MajuLab ,CQT, Singapore) to work on fundamental aspects of quantum energetics applied to quantum optics. The candidate will explore relations between energy and non-classicality, both to provide new ways to characterize non-classical quantum states of light, and optimize processes to produce them.

The fellow will build the framework to model the processes at play and analyse their energy/entropy costs. She/he will work in close collaboration with the French teams of the consortium, and will contribute to the data analysis of the experiments possibly inspired by the theoretical work. She/he will supervise PhD and master students (in particular, one PhD student will be hired to work on the project), write papers, present the work in conferences and actively contribute to the scientific life of the group. The project has a broad goal and creativity is encouraged.

The post-doc will build analytical models describing the joint dynamics of quantum dots doped with single electrons and polarized light pulses propagating in the quantum regime of the interaction. Building on recent advances in collision model approaches, fully Hamiltonian dynamics is targeted, unlocking access to entangled light-matter states and the possibility of exploring various optimisation regimes for the quantum processes involved, accurate noise modelling and bespoke error correction schemes.

Context and goal of the project. Non-classical (a.k.a. non-Gaussian) states of light like photon number states or Schrödinger cat states are precious resources for quantum metrology and quantum computing. They also represent beautiful objects to explore the specificities of the quantum world. Since the early days of quantum optics, an important work is devoted to build criteria of non-classicality, and to relate them quantitatively to technological performances. The presence of negativities in the Wigner function, or the stellar rank, are famous examples of these criteria. Various strategies are currently used in the lab to produce non-classical states of light, that rely on measurement in the photon number basis, or the interaction with optical non-linearities, or both. The research project is devoted to building energetic analyses of these various processes, with the double objective to optimize each of them, and to benchmark them as a function of their energy-efficiency.

About the funding origin. The project is part of the French Quantum Strategy through the funding initiatives OQuLus and NISQ2LSQ, which aim to build photonic and superconducting quantum computers. The work will involve collaborations with leading French academic groups and startups and regular trips to France to sustain these collaborations.

About the hosting group. Auffèves' group has pioneered the research at the boundary between quantum optics and quantum energetics/thermodynamics, exploiting the richness of quantum optics to explore energetics in the quantum realm, and building new energetic figures of merit to witness quantum effects or assess the cost of quantum resources.

What We Offer
– Opportunity to work on a strategic project and to play an instrumental role in the structuration of the emerging field of quantum energetics.
– Long-term research fellow position (up to 3 years), giving ample time to develop new skills and reach ambitious challenges.
– Opportunity to supervise PhD students and interns, freedom to define and execute workplans.
– Various collaborations in France and Singapore within highly stimulating environments.
– Excellent networking opportunities with leading experts from academia and industry.

Interested candidates should submit their application by including a detailed CV, a cover letter explaining their interest and fit for the role, two or three reference letters, and a list of publications.

Analytical calculations, processing and adjustment of experimental data, writing articles, taking part in conferences, supervising PhD and Masters students, writing reports.

Larger working environment. The group is part of MajuLab, a joint international lab whose signatory institutions are the French Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Universite Côte d'Azur (UCA), Sorbonne Université (SU), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The group is physically based inside the Centre for Quantum Technologies, which offers a very stimulating environment for quantum foundations and quantum technologies and the potential for many discussions and collaborations.

Website

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Candidat/Offre/IRL3654-CORHUN-032/Candidater.aspx

Research Field

Physics

Education Level

PhD or equivalent

Languages

FRENCH

Level

Basic

Research Field

Physics

Years of Research Experience

1 - 4

– PhD in theoretical quantum physics, quantum thermodynamics, quantum computing, with a focus on realistic models. Experience in superconducting qubits, quantum trajectories, non-linear physics or bosonic codes will be a strong plus.
– Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
– Capacity to work in multidisciplinary teams and at multiple levels of description.
– Proven track record of published research and presentations in relevant fields.
– Creativity, autonomy and ability to think out of the box.

Website for additional job details

https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/CDD/IRL3654-CORHUN-032/Default.aspx

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

MajuLab

Country

France

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