Principal Scientist – Quantum Sensing & Biomedical Imaging, NV-Diamond Quantum Sensing Imaging

Jabroyd is developing QSI—Quantum Sensing Imaging—using engineered NV-diamond. We are seeking a Principal Scientist who can work on quantum magnetometry into a scalable, multi-channel biomedical imaging platform. The Principal Scientist will work on the physics, experimental architecture and scientific evidence required to progress QSI from laboratory subsystems toward a clinically testable prototype.

mission: Build an MRI-free quantum imaging platform. The near-term programme must first demonstrate repeatable biomagnetic measurement and functional imaging. Anatomical and tissue-contrast capability will be treated as a separate, evidence-gated research frontier.

Key responsibilities

·  Lead NV-ensemble sensor design, ODMR protocols, spin control, sensitivity optimisation, calibration and stability engineering.

·  Define diamond material requirements, including NV concentration, nitrogen conversion, crystallographic orientation, optical collection, surface condition, thermal performance and packaging.

·  Work on the end-to-end QSI sensitivity and noise budget and convert it into subsystem specifications and acceptance tests.

·  Architect and design the progression from a 4-channel demonstrator to 16-channel and 64-channel sensor arrays with stable synchronisation and channel registration.

·  Lead integration of optical excitation and readout, lasers, photodetectors, microwave sources, antennas, magnetic biasing, FPGA/DAQ, timing and control software.

·  Design passive magnetic shielding and active field compensation for environmental, mains, gradient, vibration and motion artefacts.

·  Develop forward models, inverse solvers, spatial registration, source localisation, uncertainty estimation and real-time reconstruction methods.

·  Translate clinical use cases into field sensitivity, bandwidth, channel count, stand-off distance, coverage, latency and spatial-resolution requirements.

·  Plan staged validation using calibrated phantoms, benchtop biological sources and ethics-approved human feasibility studies with clinical partners.

·  Create experimental SOPs, design reviews, calibration standards, data provenance and configuration control for reproducible hardware research.

·  multidisciplinary spanning quantum physics, photonics, RF/microwave engineering, electronics, algorithms and biomedical engineering.

·  Benchmark QSI against appropriate reference instruments and imaging modalities without overstating equivalence before supporting evidence exists.

Required qualifications

• PhD in experimental quantum physics, quantum optics, condensed-matter physics or a closely related discipline.
• Completed postdoctoral research in quantum sensing, quantum metrology.
• Demonstrated research experience in NV-centre diamond magnetometry or solid-state spin sensing.
• Practical experience designing and operating ODMR experiments, optical excitation and fluorescence readout, microwave spin control and low-noise magnetic measurements.
• Experience design and developing quantum-sensor prototypes, including calibration, sensitivity optimisation, noise analysis, stability testing and experimental validation.
• Strong scientific-programming skills using Python, MATLAB, C/C++ or equivalent tools.
• Evidence of high-quality research through publications, prototypes projects.
• Ability to lead multidisciplinary technical things and convert experimental research into an integrated engineering system.
• Strong technical communication skills for all stakeholders.

Highly desirable experience

·   Five or more years of post-PhD or equivalent industry/research experience in with technical leadership responsibility.

·   Peer-reviewed publications or patents in NV-diamond sensing, biomagnetism, MEG/MCG, magnetocardiography, magnetic source imaging or quantum instrumentation.

·   Medical-device development, human-subject research, ISO 14971 risk management, IEC 60601, IEC 62304 or design-control experience.

·   Experience scaling a sensing system from a single sensor to synchronised arrays, including calibration, crosstalk, thermal stability and manufacturing variation.

Success measures

Scientific performance: Verified sensitivity, bandwidth, dynamic range, drift and channel-to-channel consistency against agreed test protocols.

Imaging performance: Reconstruction latency, localisation error, spatial coverage and repeatability on calibrated phantoms and staged biological tests.

System maturity: Progression from isolated experiments to integrated 4-channel, 16-channel and 64-channel systems with interfaces and acceptance criteria.

Reproducibility: Experiments reproducible by team members with controlled software, data, calibration, bill of materials and system configurations.

Clinical readiness: Use-case requirements, risk file, safety plan, validation protocol and clinical-partner pathway completed according to programme milestones.