2023 IBM Quantum summer internship applications are now closed

In 2022, we welcomed almost 150 individuals to IBM Quantum and IBM Quantum-sponsored summer internships and workforce development programs. This included our main IBM Quantum internship program, the Quantum Undergraduate Research at IBM and Princeton ( program, the Institute for Pure & Applied Mathematics (IPAM) Research in Industrial Projects for Students (RIPS) at UCLA, and the Qubit by Qubit Early Quantum Career Immersion program — which is new this year.

Some highlights from this summer’s IBM Quantum internship program included the Qiskit Global Summer School 2022: Quantum Simulations; intern outings in New York City and San Francisco; poster sessions, and an intern farewell event at the IBM Thomas J Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY; and a fireside chat with Jay Gambetta, hosted and organized by IBM Quantum interns. IBM Quantum interns made meaningful contributions to our development roadmap, helping us scale quantum technology while building an open quantum software ecosystem.

Developing your skills for an IBM Quantum internship

So, with preparation for the 2023 internship season underway, what does it take to succeed as an IBM Quantum intern? We asked several of this year’s interns what they felt best prepared them for an internship with IBM Quantum.

Sasha, who worked with Gavin Jones, manager of IBM’s Quantum Applications team, thought that it was useful to take advantage of all of the resources that Qiskit had to offer, develop relationships with IBMers through the Qiskit Advocate program, and be a mentor at a Qiskit Camp.

She used this experience to build a strong GitHub profile in order to make her application stronger. Once she began the internship, she always kept herself honest.

“Being true to what you know and what you don’t know has been extremely helpful. It saves time to be honest about what you don’t know so you can learn it, rather than pretend,” she said.

Vivika, who worked under IBM Quantum producer Suzie Kirschner and marketing lead Christine Vu, wanted to remind applicants that you don’t necessarily need a strong background in quantum to be a successful intern on the team. Instead, it’s important to be familiar with IBM’s role in the quantum space, and to show earnest interest in the work. She was eager to let folks know what she wanted to accomplish from the internship process so she could develop skills in video production and writing.

Abeer, who worked on the Qiskit Metal team, was able to gain crucial experience for his application by working on personal projects — and he, too, was a Qiskit Advocate. He stressed that well-rounded experiences can set you apart, but so too can being aware of where your own interests and experiences fit into the broader team and company.

Finally, Areeq, who worked on the Quantum Engineering team, fell in love with quantum after participating in an IBM Quantum Challenge. He did further challenges, read the textbook, and explored the Developer Advocate Program — which he thought was crucial to his application. The internship ended up being an opportunity to challenge himself. His previous experience was with hardware, but he was able to get hands-on experience with another element of quantum computing: algorithm design.

We encourage prospective candidates to take a few steps to prepare for success as an IBM Quantum intern. Whether you are working as a developer, an engineer, or a researcher it is valuable to learn Qiskit, an open-source SDK for working with quantum computers at the level of pulses, circuits, and application modules.

Once familiar with Qiskit, consider making contributions to the Qiskit community and eventually applying to the Qiskit Advocate program. The Qiskit Advocate program is a tremendous way to prepare yourself for success as an IBM Quantum intern. Becoming a Qiskit Advocate will give you access to experts and enthusiasts at IBM Quantum and across the field, give you access to Qiskit core members and projects, and get you invitations to global quantum computing community events — even if you aren’t an intern. Almost 40% of Qiskit Advocates who applied in 2022 were offered an IBM Quantum internship. Be sure to include your status as a Qiskit Advocate on your resume.

You can also consider earning IBM Quantum Developer certification. We designed the certification program so that developers could demonstrate their proficiency in programming quantum computers to make themselves competitive candidates in the burgeoning quantum industry — or at IBM Quantum. Be sure to include your Quantum Developer certification on your resume.

If you are still early on in your quantum journey, then Qubit by Qubit offers a number of great courses, camps, workshops and programs for all levels to get you started. We are familiar with the Qubit by Qubit curriculum and feel confident that those who have completed it will have the appropriate knowledge to succeed in a quantum computing internship.

IBM Quantum internship roles

We offer a variety of internships based on the skills and interests of applicants. Take a look:

Quantum Software Developer Summer Intern

Applications are currently closed for quantum software developer summer interns.

Quantum Hardware Developer Summer Intern

Applications are currently closed for quantum hardware developer summer interns.

Quantum Research Scientist Summer Intern

Applications are currently closed for quantum research scientist summer interns.

Other IBM Quantum internships

We are also hiring for internships in the fields of design, marketing, sales, business development, and product management.

Community

• Qiskit Community Advocate Intern 2023 (Undergraduate)
• Qiskit Community Advocate Intern 2023 (Graduate)
• IBM Quantum Education Intern (Graduate)
• IBM Quantum Business Operations Intern 2023 (Undergraduate)
• IBM Quantum Business Operations Intern 2023 (Graduate)

Quantum Safe

• Quantum Safe Summer Intern (Undergraduate)
• Quantum Safe Summer Intern (Graduate)

Design & Experience

• Quantum User Experience Design Intern 2023 (Undergraduate)
• Quantum Design Research Intern 2023 (Undergraduate)
• Quantum Design Research Intern 2023 (Graduate)
• IBM Quantum Experience Team Writing Intern 2023 (Undergraduate)
• IBM Quantum Experience Team Writing Intern 2023 (Graduate)

Sales

• IBM Quantum Client Sales Intern 2023 (Undergraduate)

Europe, Middle East & Africa

• IBM Quantum Community Advocate 6-month Internship (United Kingdom)
• Internship/working student: Quantum & Qiskit Developer (m,w,x) (Böblingen, Germany)
• Internship: Firmware Developer – Quantum Computing (m,w,x) (Böblingen, Germany)
• Internship: FPGA Designer – Quantum Computing (m,w,x) (Böblingen, Germany)
• Quantum – MSc/PhD Summer internship 2023 – Research (Israel)

Asia-Pacific

• IBM Quantum Research Tokyo Student Intern
• Quantum Advocate Tokyo Student Intern

IBM Quantum is looking to hire an intern to work on quantum education. The applicant should have a solid academic background in quantum computing and quantum mechanics, as well as a demonstration of scientific communication skills and interest. This intern will assist on working with educational content creation, including but not limited to: Qiskit YouTube content, Qiskit challenge material, and summer school curricula.

Preparing your IBM Quantum internship application

Applicants should submit their resume to the appropriate job requisite listed above. Please do not send your resume through email or other channels unless specifically requested. And please do not send a cover letter or recommendation letters unless specifically requested.

International students are eligible to apply for most roles. If you have any questions about IBM Quantum internships not addressed here, please send an email to [email protected] and we will do our best to get back to you with a response. And of course, IBM Quantum is committed to building an equitable and inclusive quantum community, and we are constantly working toward building a quantum workforce that reflects the diversity of the wider world.

Come find us at the following upcoming recruiting events:

• Grace Hopper Celebration: September 20–23, 2022
• IEEE Quantum Week: September 18-23, 2022
• National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) Conference: November 6–9, 2022
• National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Convention: March 22–26, 2023

Partnership opportunities

The IBM Quantum internship represents just one of several programs catered to developing new members of the quantum workforce. For instance, undergraduate student researchers can apply to the QURIP program. QURIP invites 10 undergraduate students from institutions across the US to research theoretical and experimental topics in quantum information. The program lasts for 12 weeks during the summer, beginning with six weeks of academic research in quantum science and engineering at Princeton, followed by another six weeks of translational research in quantum computing with the IBM Quantum team at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York. IBM and Princeton will announce the opening of QURIP applications at a later date.

Undergraduate students studying math, computer science, and related disciplines can also apply to work on real-world research projects proposed by sponsors such as IBM Quantum through the RIPS program at UCLA. These research experiences for undergraduates last for nine weeks over the summer. Please apply to the IPAM RIPS program directly if you are interested in participating. The application process and timing is coordinated by the IPAM organization at UCLA.

Alternatively, undergraduate and graduate students can apply to spend their summer conducting joint research in quantum information physics as part of a new collaborative program between IBM Quantum and the NYU Center for Quantum Information Physics. This immersive summer program will provide students with invaluable hands-on lab experience at the intersection of quantum information theory, quantum hardware, and quantum software as they conduct joint research with IBM Quantum and NYU. In addition to gaining hands-on lab experience in key areas of quantum information science, students who participate in this program will get the opportunity to work closely with mentors from both institutions. We will announce the opening of applications at a later date.

Finally, undergraduate students studying computer science, physics, or related disciplines can apply for the Qubit by Qubit Early Quantum Career Immersion program. This is a 10-week training and internship program for undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM to gain in-depth quantum information science and engineering training and industry experience. Program participants will be matched to a program partner, one of which is IBM Quantum. Please contact Qubit by Qubit for more information and details on applying.

Be sure to follow IBM Quantum on LinkedIn for announcements on future internship and career development opportunities. We look forward to hearing from you.