Research Engineer in Quantum Computing for Finance - EDHEC Quantum Institute M/F (Postdoctoral Level)

Founded in 1906, EDHEC is now ranked among the top 10 business schools in Europe. With campuses in Lille, Nice, Paris, London and Singapore, and over 90 nationalities represented across its campuses, EDHEC is a truly international institution directly connected to the business world.

With a network of more than 60,000 alumni across 143 countries, EDHEC educates committed leaders capable of addressing the challenges of a rapidly changing world. Driven by its core values of excellence, innovation and entrepreneurship, the School has developed a strategic model based on research that delivers tangible value to society, businesses and students.

This culture is reflected in the work of the EDHEC-Risk Climate Impact Institute, the EDHEC NewGen Talent Centre, the EDHEC Infrastructure & Private Assets Institute, and the recently established Management in Innovative Health Chair.

The School operates as a genuine ideas laboratory and plays a pioneering role in digital education through EDHEC Online, the first fully online degree-granting learning platform.

Together, these strengths make EDHEC a centre of knowledge, experience and diversity, dedicated to preparing the next generation of managers to excel in a rapidly evolving world.

EDHEC in numbers:

• 9,400 students enrolled in academic programmes

• More than 20 degree programmes, from Bachelor to PhD level

• 175 professors and researchers

• 13 specialised research centres and chairs

   

EDHEC Business School is recruiting a Research Engineer in Quantum Computing for Finance - EDHEC Quantum Institute (M/F). This is a full-time permanent position (CDI) based on the Nice campus.

The EDHEC Quantum Institute (EQI) is a pioneering initiative of EDHEC Business School dedicated to translating quantum innovation into tangible value for business and society. Structured around applied research, education, innovation, and outreach, the Institute builds bridges between quantum science, industry, and economic decision-making, with a particular focus on finance and financial services.

EQI is recruiting a Research Engineer at postdoctoral level to conduct applied research on quantum computing and quantum-inspired methods for finance. Under the direct supervision of Professor Lionel Martellini, Director of the Institute, the successful candidate will work closely with industrial partners from the financial sector and the quantum technology ecosystem. The role combines rigorous research, algorithm development, experimental benchmarking, and industry-oriented proof-of-concept design.

Main Responsibilities 

• Conduct applied research on quantum and quantum-inspired approaches to portfolio optimization, asset and signal selection, risk analytics, derivatives pricing, Monte Carlo simulation, and machine learning.

• Translate economically relevant finance use cases into precise computational problems and determine whether their structure is genuinely suitable for quantum methods.

• Design, implement, and benchmark algorithms using classical baselines, quantum-inspired solvers, quantum annealers, simulators, and gate-based quantum processors, as appropriate.

• Assess solution quality, computational scaling, data-loading requirements, hardware constraints, error sensitivity, and end-to-end resource needs against the best available classical alternatives.

• Collaborate with financial institutions and quantum technology providers to define research questions, milestones, proof-of-concept protocols, deliverables, and success criteria.

• Develop reproducible research code and contribute to academic papers, technical reports, industry white papers, research proposals, and shared experimental workflows.

• Present findings to specialist and executive audiences and support the supervision of interns, graduate students, or junior researchers when required.

Profil

• PhD in quantum computing, quantum information science, computer science, applied mathematics, operations research, physics, financial engineering, or a closely related field; postdoctoral or equivalent research experience preferred.

• Strong foundations in at least two of the following: combinatorial optimization, numerical linear algebra, probability and stochastic simulation, machine learning, algorithm design, or computational finance.

• Demonstrated ability to implement and evaluate advanced algorithms in Python; experience with Qiskit, PennyLane, Cirq, D-Wave Ocean, or comparable frameworks is highly desirable.

• Clear understanding of the distinction between theoretical speedup, hardware-level performance, and end-to-end practical advantage, with a commitment to evidence-based assessment and avoidance of quantum overclaiming.

• Knowledge of financial applications is desirable. Candidates from quantum science or computer science must be willing to acquire the necessary finance expertise; candidates from finance must demonstrate substantial quantum computing competence.

• Strong research record evidenced by publications, working papers, open-source software, conference contributions, or technically demanding industrial projects.

• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams; excellent written and spoken English. French is an advantage but is not required.