National QIS Research Centers Career Fair Continues to Grow
As the field of Quantum Information Science (QIS) accelerates, national laboratories, academia, and industry come together to inform and recruit the next generation of quantum professionals
October 25, 2023
Quantum information science (QIS) has seen quite a few exciting advancements in the last year. From materials that expand the lifetime of qubits to promising quantum network designs, discoveries that seemed so far away only a few years ago are starting to take shape. To keep the momentum going, the quantum workforce needs to grow in a way that promotes diverse talent and perspectives and prepares students and job seekers for this emerging field.
To reach interested candidates from across the country, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science’s National Quantum Information Science Research Centers (NQISRCs) sponsored their third annual virtual QIS career fair on Sept. 13, 2023, led by the Co-design Center for Quantum Advantage (C2QA). C2QA is led by DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory.
“The theme of this year’s career fair, the affirmation ‘I belong in quantum,’ was reflected in the diverse array of students, job seekers, and professionals looking to change their career,” noted Kimberly McGuire, career fair co-organizer and chief operating officer for C2QA. “Hosting this event virtually allowed it to be one of the largest and most accessible QIS career fairs in the United States. Participants were able to connect with hiring managers and network with experts one-on-one from anywhere in the country. There is a lot of interest in this field, but people may not know where they can find the right opportunities. To advance QIS, we need events like this.”
This year, the number of exhibitors more than doubled, with 42 booths representing research, academia, and industry. The event drew in nearly 1,300 registrants, 36% more than the previous year, and 780 attendees—an encouraging 59% more than the previous year. About three-quarters of the attendees were students (23% undergrads and 44% graduate students) and postdocs (13%). To cater to the diverse makeup of attendees, the conference organizers arranged several panels and breakout sessions for students and professionals of all levels and backgrounds, including sessions for candidates seeking to transition out of their current roles to find a place in the QIS workforce.
The organizers researched and thoughtfully curated panels and discussions based on feedback from students, professionals, and experts in preparation for the event. There was something for everyone on the agenda, from introductory talks aimed at undergrads exploring the field to more focused presentations appealing to those who are more experienced.
“The route I had taken into QIS was not always a straightforward one, sometimes without a lot of guidance,” recalled panelist Carl Miller, a mathematician at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and fellow at the Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science. “It’s a privilege to help the next generation find their path a little more clearly by being a panelist. I hope that this event continues.”
Virtual exhibitor booths got quite a bit of action, racking in 10,284 visits in total throughout the duration of the event. Industry leaders, including Amazon and IBM, presented alongside national laboratories like Brookhaven Lab and DOE’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and academic institutions like Harvard and Yale. These are just a few of the 42 booths comprising the virtual exhibitor floor. Using the vFairs online platform, participating institutions reached a large, broad candidate pool, bringing in over 2,100 clicks to job websites where applications could be filled out directly through the platform during the career fair.
The QIS career fair underscored DOE’s mission to strengthen recruitment, retention, and promotion while removing inequitable barriers to workforce opportunities by providing a pathway for those in underrepresented communities to attend. A significant number of students and postdocs represented Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). During the planning process, an important goal of the NQISRCs was to ensure direct access to hiring managers for these communities. Nine of the invited speakers represented MSIs that are integral parts of the QIS landscape.
“It’s been encouraging to see the way that this career fair continues to grow, not only in attendance but also in the depth and scope of the panels being held throughout the day,” said C2QA director Andrew Houck. “It’s helpful for students and job seekers to get a window into what certain careers are like in the field, but this year they were also able to talk about why increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion matter in STEM, non-research roles that support QIS, and how to pivot into a career in QIS from other fields of research.”
This event could not have been possible without the cooperation of the five NQISRCs—Q-NEXT and the Quantum Systems Accelerator, which have acted as co-leads, and the Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center and Quantum Science Center, which provided valuable assistance—and effort volunteered by all panelists, moderators, and coordinators.
The centers are already starting to plan for the 2024 QIS career fair, continuing to build on the successes of previous years and take on any opportunities for growth that have presented themselves. By showcasing the passion, progress, and potential that drives experts in QIS to achieve amazing things, these career fairs aim to inspire and aid the quantum workforce of the future.
Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit science.energy.gov.
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2023-21497 | INT/EXT | Newsroom
