Mafalda has a background in physics engineering and a PhD in spintronics. She started her career at Qblox as a quantum application engineer, and recently joined our new project management team. In this interview, she reflects on her time as a quantum application engineer.
Describe your (previous) role as a quantum application engineer (QAE).
The quantum application engineering team at Qblox is responsible for ensuring our products align with users' expectations and can be used in the most accessible way possible. Our customers are primarily researchers working in the quantum computing field, with different types of qubits, so my team has people with a research background in various experimental quantum systems or closely related fields.
What is your educational background?
I studied Physics Engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, for my Bachelor's and Master's degrees. During my Master's, I specialized in experimental condensed matter physics and nanotechnology, ending up doing my Master's Thesis in the field of spintronics, which is the basis for technologies such as MRAMs and magnetic sensors. I then did a PhD in this same area, at the Laboratoire Albert Fert in Paris, France. My PhD was heavily experimental, which meant that I was running experimental measurements on the daily very close to those that are typically done in quantum computing research labs.
Why did you decide to work for Qblox?
While I was studying, I was already quite interested in the quantum computing field and wanted to get closer to it while working in something where my PhD experience could be an added benefit. I saw the opening for a position in the QAE team while I was writing my PhD thesis and thought my profile was a good fit, even if I didn't previously work in a quantum lab. I really enjoyed meeting the people at Qblox during the interview process and got the chance to see for myself how nice the working environment was when I visited Delft at the final stage of the recruitment process - which ended up being the main deciding factor for me to join.
You are also involved with the Qblox contribution to the Quantum Internet Alliance (QIA). Can you elaborate a bit more on that?
At Qblox, we participate in numerous projects with both academic and industrial partners. QIA, the Quantum Internet Alliance, is one of these projects - a European moonshot mission with the goal of connecting multiple quantum computers using a quantum network. This is one of the projects I have been working on since I joined Qblox. I've had the chance to work with partners at academic labs who are integrating the Qblox hardware - the Cluster- into their experimental setups to enable the future Quantum Internet.
Do you need to travel a lot for your career?
We participate in many conferences at Qblox, and even though going to these is not the main responsibility of the QAE team, we do get the chance to go to a few throughout the year to assist the QASE team in demoing our projects and also occasionally to participate in scientific sessions that can be useful for keeping us up to date on the current research trend in labs.
The biggest conference we participate in is the APS March Meeting, which occurs every March in the US, to which we usually go with a considerably large group (this year we were 18 people), including many people from QAE. Additionally, I've had the chance to assist in onsite demos to prospective customers, which I really enjoy since it gives me the chance to be in an actual lab running experiments.
You prepared a demo for this APS March meeting, namely for our new QTM module. Please tell us more about that.
Yes, one of the 3 new modules we launched during the APS MM was the QTM, which stands for Qubit Timetag modules. At the conference, we had a dedicated demo station to showcase this new module and the use of the Cluster for optically addressable qubits, where the QTM is highly valuable. I was in charge of preparing the demo showcasing the new features we are offering with this new product and showing it to the public on the conference floor.
Does the QAE team work closely together with other teams?
We do, yes. Being at the intersection of the user and the control hardware and software, gives us the chance to work with many other teams within the company. We work especially with the software engineering team in the development of the Python control software package called Quantify or, for example, with the Application Scientists in creating demos for prospective clients or upcoming conferences.
Additionally, we get to work closely with the embedded software engineering team by advising on the user interface and when we run application tests on the new features they are working on.
In terms of inclusiveness and diversity, where does Qblox fit in?
As with any company in the Quantum field, there is still a gap in gender diversity, especially in the R&D teams, mostly stemming from the small proportion of women studying physics and specifically in quantum. However, I do think that one of the most important steps in improving the gender balance is to make sure people who are a part of the gender minorities in the field are welcome and stay within the field, and I feel this is the case at Qblox.
Regarding cultural diversity, Qblox is a great example, more than half of the employees joining us are from over 30 countries. I believe this creates a really interesting working culture with people with very different cultural and also academic backgrounds.
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Finally, what are - according to you - the biggest perks when working for Qblox?
I believe the biggest perks are the chance to work in a cutting-edge field, the chance to be exposed to the most recent advances in quantum computing through our customers and partners, and also the chance to work with a team that really enjoys what they are doing on the day to day. Of course, there are also other perks about working for Qblox, such as the social events that are regularly organized or, for example, that recently we've had the opportunity to take Dutch classes.
Now that Mafalda has joined the project management team, we're looking for someone to fill her shoes. If this interview piqued your interest, why not browse our available positions here? You can also connect with Mafalda on LinkedIn here.