Quantum Innovation in Chicago

Home to two Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Centers, two National Science Foundation Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes, and a growing number of quantum companies, the Midwest region is a leader in the charge to develop innovation quantum technologies and build an elite quantum workforce.

Career Advancement hosts signature quantum programs throughout the year to bring together scientists, engineers, and groundbreaking employers in Chicago’s innovative quantum science landscape.

Chicago Quantum Recruiting Forum

The annual Chicago Quantum Recruiting Forum brings together the rising generation of quantum scientists and engineers. This forum is an outstanding opportunity for students and trainees across the STEM disciplines interested in pursuing quantum information through physics, computing, or engineering to catalyze their careers. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with one another as well as leaders in the field, exploring quantum careers and academic pathways through an experiential immersion in quantum innovation.

Participation is open to all trainees, including university students and postdocs in the Midwest, faculty from the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), university partners, and any companies interested in hiring quantum-trained talent. The 4th Annual Chicago Quantum Recruiting Forum will be held on April 11th, 2024. Registration is now open.

Chicago Quantum Recruiting Forum Agenda

Agenda

Time

Event

Location in Ida Noyes Hall

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm

Welcome


David Awschalom, Liew Family Professor of Molecular Engineering and Vice Dean for Research and Infrastructure, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

Keynote
Brad Lackey, Quantum Solutions Architect, Microsoft

Third Floor Theater

12:35 pm – 1:35 pm

Choice of one of three activities:

Technical workshop

with

QuEra and qBraid (East Lounge, Ida Noyes Hall)

Technical workshop

with Wolfram (West Lounge, Ida Noyes Hall)

Info session on quantum industry workforce needs and trends for US and foreign job seekers

with Celia Merzbacher, Executive Director of QED-C and Jonathan Grode, US Practice Director and Managing Partner, Green & Spiegel (Third Floor Theater, Ida Noyes Hall)

Various locations

1:40 pm – 2:20 pm

Panel: Careers in Research

Moderator: Sean Jones, Deputy Lab Director for Science and Technology, Argonne National Lab

Panelists:

Ruslan Shaydulin, Applied Research Director, JPMC Global Technology Applied Research Center

Ian Njoroge, Senior Scientist, CSL Behring

Allison Squires, Assistant Professor of Molecular Engineering, UChicago PME

Third Floor Theater

2:20 pm – 3:00 pm

Panel: Careers in Industry

Moderator: Katerina Moloni, Associate Director, MS Physics-Quantum Computing Program

Panelists:

Mike Gustafson, Co-Founder, reOrbital

Third Floor Theater

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Career Fair

Participants include:

Applied Materials

Corning Optical Communications

EeroQ Corporation

Error Corp.

Fermilab-Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

HRL Laboratories LLC

Infleqtion

JPMorgan Chase

QuantCAD LLC

Quantum Machines

Qubit by Qubit

Wolfram

Duality

Chicago Quantum Exchange

Icarus Quantum

Quantinuum

KPMG

memQ

BlueFors

QUBIT Early Career Program

Quantum Business, Innovation, and Technology (QUBIT), is a two-year preprofessional program dedicated to supporting undergraduates pursuing careers in the emerging quantum economy. In addition to participating in professional development programming, cohort participants have access to funded research and internship opportunities to help launch successful careers in quantum computing, engineering, R&D, and more.

More information can be found here and applications for the next cohort will open in summer 2024.

Quantum Employer Spotlight Series

The Quantum Employer Spotlight series provides an opportunity to hear from experts in the quantum industry throughout the year. Academic year ‘23- ‘24 spotlights will include Applied Materials in December 2023.

Quantum Partners

Thank you to partners such as Atom Computing, Infleqtion, NanoPattern Technologies, IBM Quantum, ParityQC, JPMorgan Chase, and Quantum Machines, and to the Chicago Quantum Exchange for their support and partnership. If you are company in the quantum space and would like to get involved, please contact Tara Ford at taraford@uchicago.edu.