Our full-time internships offer master's and PhD students the opportunity to explore a career in quantum computing and translate their skills and expertise into a commercial setting.
We offer two types of internship:
Summer internships - 3 months
This scheme is aimed at master’s or PhD students studying maths, physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering or design.
You will work alongside our team of software developers, mathematicians, quantum information theorists, designers, computational chemists and physicists, who are all world-leading experts in their fields. A dedicated supervisor will be assigned to you from day one.
You will join an ongoing project that is central to Riverlane’s mission to make quantum computing useful sooner. We’ll ensure it’s a project that makes the best use of your background and skills whilst providing a great introduction to the exciting world of quantum computing.
Summer internships typically run from June to September.
PhD internships - 3-6 months
This scheme is aimed at PhD students wanting to work in a specific area of research or development that Riverlane has a current focus on.
Previous proposed projects cover quantum-relevant topics in control systems, calibration, error correction, algorithms, chemistry and software development.
PhD internships typically run outside the summer months.
Note: Internships are offered in Cambridge UK (all schemes) and in Boston US (PhD students only). Students joining a UK scheme must be eligible to live and work in the UK. Students joining a US scheme must be authorised to work in the US.
"The biggest takeaway I have from Riverlane is that quantum computing is more than just physics. The design effort, the collaboration with labs, the partnerships with other quantum companies facing similar problems, and the community were eye-opening to me. It’s an incredibly dynamic environment - Riverlane is collaborative by nature."
- Cristian Voinea, Summer Intern 2022
"I enjoyed the flexibility of my role, which has suited me well as I have a diverse skillset which is not directly related to quantum. My experience with Riverlane has highlighted the importance of cultural fit to me. The mental health support, and how welcoming everyone is makes such a difference."
- Jemima Kwok, Summer Intern, 2022
Featured Intern - Eve's story
Eve Townsend
Product Design Intern 2022
"It was easy to have imposter syndrome when I first started, I knew very little about quantum computing. As I grew and contributed, I felt valued and it made me appreciate I was hired for my skills"
My undergrad was in physics, and I am currently in the last year of my Innovation Design Engineer Masters at Imperial College London. My masters has been a unique opportunity to combine deep technical expertise with fundamentals of design, so the Product Design Internship at Riverlane was the perfect match for my skills. I wanted to learn about the commercial side of quantum computing, as my knowledge of quantum was limited to a mathematical lens.
The interview process was straightforward and enjoyable. I sent a cover letter with my CV, then presented a recent project I had completed. It was great presenting one of my own projects. Industrial design is an innovative field, and I was eager to learn how people interact with quantum technologies. The role as a product design intern has moved me from being a hardcore physicist into a firm designer, with the ability to design and apply what I am learning during my masters and my role at Riverlane.
Graduate scheme
Our one-year graduate scheme is designed to enable those with degrees in computer science, electronic engineering or engineering to develop their skills and expertise and become future leaders in the quantum computing industry.
You will join us at our office in Cambridge, UK, where you will work alongside our multidisciplinary team and rotate through different functions of the company, including engineering, quantum science, and product.
Applications for our 2023 graduate scheme are now closed. Join the mailing list for future updates.
The superpowers of interns: an internship success story
Former Riverlane PhD intern publishes paper: ‘Distributed Quantum Computing and Network Control for Accelerated VQE’.
Riverlane’s top tips for an internship application in quantum computing
We've been running our master's and PhD internship scheme since 2018. In this time, we've reviewed hundreds of applications and hosted more than 40 students from a variety of different backgrounds.
Why you should consider a career in quantum computing
As part of our mission to make quantum computer computers useful sooner at Riverlane, we need talented individuals to join our world-class team.