PhD in Design of Next-Generation Quantum Error Correction Codes and Decoders Eindhoven University of Technology in Netherlands

PhD opportunity at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in the design of next-generation quantum error correction codes and decoders, within the pan-European QuBriC doctoral network.

This project sits at the intersection of classical coding theory, quantum information, and practical decoder design for real quantum hardware. The successful candidate will join the Information and Communication Theory Lab in TU/e’s Department of Electrical Engineering and will work on quantum error correction (QEC) codes tailored to realistic hardware constraints, as well as decoding algorithms that improve reliability while reducing overhead and latency.

The research environment is highly collaborative and international. QuBriC connects 16 academic institutions and 7 industrial partners across 11 countries, with a cohort of 15 doctoral candidates. The PhD includes secondments at the University of Napoli Federico II, where ideas will be tested on superconducting hardware, and at Riverlane in the UK, a company developing real-time decoders for quantum computers.

The position can be shaped toward more theoretical work, such as performance limits, code constructions, and information-theoretic analysis, or toward more algorithmic work, such as decoder design, simulation, and performance evaluation. This makes it a strong fit for candidates with interests in communications engineering, coding theory, applied mathematics, or quantum computing.

Supervision will be provided by Dr Gabriele Liga and Dr Yunus Can Gültekin at TU/e. Informal enquiries may be directed to Gabriele Liga at [email protected].

Eligibility is governed by MSCA Doctoral Network rules: applicants must not already hold a doctoral degree and must not have spent more than 12 months in the Netherlands during the 36 months immediately before recruitment. A master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, or a related field is required, along with strong mathematical skills, programming ability, good English (B2+), and motivation for interdisciplinary research and teaching.

The appointment is full-time for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. Salary is according to Dutch university scale P, with a gross monthly base salary of €3,204 to €4,051, plus holiday allowance, year-end bonus, and pension contributions. TU/e also offers training, support services, and an international research environment in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.

Applications must be submitted online and should include a cover letter, CV with publications and two references, academic transcripts, and an MSCA eligibility statement with residence and main-activity history for the last three years. The vacancy remains open until the position is filled.