Categorization of Roles in the Quantum Industry

TL;DR

This paper introduces a structured framework for categorizing roles within the growing quantum information science and engineering industry, based on extensive interviews and analysis of over 80 positions.

Contribution

It provides a novel, interview-based classification of 29 roles in the QISE industry, including role definitions, tasks, skills, and educational requirements.

Findings

29 distinct roles identified and categorized

Framework based on 42 interviews across 23 companies

Detailed role profiles to be developed in future work

Abstract

Continued growth of the quantum information science and engineering (QISE) industry has resulted in stakeholders spanning education, industry, and government seeking to better understand the workforce needs. This report presents a framework for the categorization of roles in the QISE industry based on 42 interviews of QISE professionals across 23 companies, as well as a description of the method used in the creation of this framework. The data included information on over 80 positions, which we have grouped into 29 roles spanning four primary categories. For each primary category we provide an overview of what unites the roles within a category, a description of relevant subcategories, and definitions of the individual roles. These roles serve as the basis upon which we generate profiles of these roles, which include information about role critical tasks, necessary knowledge and skills, and educational requirements. Our next report will present such profiles for each of the roles presented herein.