Quantum technology company Infleqtion has announced the appointment of Dr. Joseph Buck as Senior Vice President of Quantum Computing Systems, effective July 27, 2026. Buck will be responsible for leading the development of the company's scalable neutral atom quantum computer, Sqale.
Buck previously served as a Senior Fellow at Lockheed Martin's Advanced Technology Center, bringing 23 years of experience building quantum, optical, and photonic systems for government, defense, and commercial clients. His career began with doctoral research in physics at the California Institute of Technology, where he conducted experiments trapping individual neutral atoms within high-finesse optical cavities—the foundational physics principle behind today's neutral atom quantum computing.
Buck has authored over 60 technical papers, holds an extensive patent portfolio, and has successfully transitioned multiple technologies from the research phase into mass-produced products, including commercial polarizing gratings and advanced optical manufacturing methods.
The core of the shift
Infleqtion's CEO stated: "The era of proving quantum science is over. Now we need to build real systems. Joe has been deep in the neutral atom field since his PhD, and his entire career has been about delivering systems for clients who accept no excuses. We look forward to him scaling Sqale from the neutral atom systems we deploy today into a practical, fault-tolerant quantum computer."
What Buck brings to the role
Buck himself commented: "Most quantum projects are still waiting for a physics breakthrough, but Infleqtion has already moved past that stage. I've spent decades building systems that either pass field tests or don't ship. The architecture is validated; my job is to scale it."
Current milestones and next steps
Infleqtion has already delivered the UK's only operational 100-physical-qubit quantum computing system to the National Quantum Computing Centre and has deployed related systems in Japan. The company's fault-tolerant neutral atom quantum computer is scheduled for delivery to the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in 2027.
Comments