Quantum Education & Outreach Jobs

Know the Basics

Jobs where you teach people about quantum technology, create learning materials; organize workshops, & make quantum computing accessible and exciting for students, professionals, and the general public.

[We want] ‘to support underrepresented groups, to keep them in quantum and to give them a network of people like them. Participant 18 in a study of grassroots quantum outreach organisations

What does a quantum educator do day-to-day?

They create lesson plans, teaching videos, and hands-on activities to explain quantum concepts. Quantum educators may teach at the university level, manage coding bootcamps, create online courses, or teach hackathon participants. They may work at companies training employees or designing training for schools, outreach programs, or nonprofit programs to spread quantum concepts throughout their communities.

Do I need a PhD to teach quantum computing?

Many outreach positions prefer soft skills and teaching experience over advanced qualifications. For example, having a master’s in physics or computer science and some teaching experience. For corporate training roles, the ability to teach and explain clearly is a more desirable skill than your academic credentials. While university positions require a PhD, K-12 and community outreach roles do not. You can learn more on how to get quantum jobs with no PhD here.

How much do quantum education jobs pay?

Most quantum science communicators earn between $65,000-90,000 a year; with university positions usually offering lower salaries compared to corporate outreach jobs. The most lucrative positions combine curriculum development with corporate training. Freelance quantum educators, who create online courses or consult can sometimes earn more but with less job security. You can learn more about quantum jobs salaries here.

What skills matter most for quantum outreach roles?

• Teaching ability: Breaking down complex topics into simple, digestible pieces
• Content creation: Making videos, writing blogs, designing interactive demos
• Public speaking: Presenting at schools, conferences, and community events;
• Technical knowledge: Understanding quantum well enough to answer diverse questions.

Experience with content creation, coding education platforms (e.g., Jupyter, EdX), or science communication is useful.

Where can I find quantum education jobs?

Universities (physics and computer science departments), quantum computing companies (IBM, Google, Microsoft have education teams), nonprofits (Institute for Quantum Computing, Q-MUNITY), online learning platforms (Coursera, Brilliant), science museums, and K-12 STEM education organizations all hire quantum educators. Training opportunities with organizations like QWorld or Q-MITE can qualify you for quantum education positions.

In the future, maybe quantum mechanics will teach us something equally chilling about exactly how we exist from moment to moment. Quantum Physics Quote Collection

Can teachers transition into quantum education careers?

Yes! If you're a physics, math, or computer science teacher, you already have the teaching skills. Learn quantum basics through free courses (Microsoft Quantum Katas, IBM Qiskit tutorials), attend quantum workshops, and start integrating quantum topics into your current classes. Many quantum educators began as traditional STEM teachers who got excited about quantum and gradually specialized in it.