PhD in Physics

Research Studentship in Quantum Computation 3.5-year D.Phil. studentship Project: Controlling Errors in Quantum Computers Supervisors: Dr Zhenyu Cai, Prof. Dominic O’Brien This DPhil project will focus on the single most pressing challenge in quantum computation: errors in these machines. The goal is to develop a "full-stack" approach to quantum error suppression, integrating strategies across all layers of the quantum computation stack. This research will explore the powerful and synergistic combination of Quantum Error Correction (QEC) and Quantum Error Mitigation (QEM) to pave the way toward noise-resilient and fault-tolerant quantum computation. The project will involve developing novel theoretical frameworks, designing new error suppression schemes, and validating them through numerical simulation. The work is highly interdisciplinary, connecting abstract theory to practical hardware constraints and real-world applications. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the critical goal of achieving practical quantum advantage. The student will benefit from Oxford’s vibrant quantum research environment, with opportunities for close collaboration with researchers across different departments and also under the Oxford Quantum Hub and Oxford Quantum Institute. Although theory-focused, the studentship encourages engagement with experimental partners, including those in industry.