IonQ Appoints Former IARPA Director Rick Muller to Lead Quantum Systems Development

IonQ, the leading commercial quantum computing and networking company, has bolstered its engineering leadership team with the appointment of Dr. Rick Muller as Vice President of Quantum Systems. Dr. Muller, who joined this month, brings extensive R&D and systems engineering experience to IonQ, having previously served as the director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) and held senior positions at Sandia National Laboratories and the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Muller's primary responsibility will be to lead the development of IonQ's quantum computing systems, contributing to the company's ambitious goal of building the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030. His expertise is expected to enhance IonQ's position as a trusted partner in both commercial and federal quantum applications, further solidifying its commitment to delivering high-performance systems for solving complex problems. Prior to joining IonQ, Dr. Muller was instrumental in advancing quantum computing, artificial intelligence, biometrics, and text analytics for the U.S. intelligence community at IARPA. At Sandia National Laboratories, he helmed the Quantum and Advanced Microsystems group, and he directed the Department of Energy’s Quantum Systems Accelerator, a flagship center under the National Quantum Initiative. Earlier in his career, Dr. Muller led advanced computational initiatives for national security and holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from Caltech and a B.A. from Rice University. Dr. Dean Kassmann, IonQ’s Senior Vice President of Engineering and Technology, welcomed Dr. Muller’s appointment, stating, "Rick brings an exceptional blend of scientific insight and federal systems engineering experience, precisely the kind of leadership IonQ needs as we scale toward operational quantum advantage. His track record in leading transformative R&D efforts will be crucial as we expand our quantum computing system capabilities and deepen our partnerships across commercial and government sectors." Dr. Muller expressed enthusiasm about his new role, saying, "IonQ is at the forefront of evolving quantum computing from research concepts into leading commercial applications. Joining IonQ gives me the opportunity to help scale technology that can solve meaningful problems across science, security, and industry. I am excited to contribute to the next generation of systems that will continue to make quantum computing impactful." The addition of Dr. Muller to theIonQ team follows a rigorous national search led by executive search firm PSIRCH. This strategic move underscores IonQ’s commitment to advancing its technology roadmap and achieving its vision of making quantum computing more accessible and impactful. IonQ’s current generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Forte and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are among the most advanced in the market, helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve significant performance results. The company is actively working on innovations in quantum networking, positioning itself as a leader in building the quantum internet and addressing critical challenges in areas like drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. Industry insiders view Dr. Muller's appointment as a significant step forward for IonQ, highlighting the company's intent to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications. His background in national security and advanced R&D is particularly valuable in the competitive landscape of quantum computing, where precision and reliability are crucial. IonQ, listed on the NYSE (IONQ), has garnered recognition from prestigious publications, including Newsweek’s 2025 Excellence Index 1000, Forbes’ 2025 Most Successful Mid-Cap Companies list, and Built In’s 2025 100 Best Midsize Places to Work in Washington DC and Seattle. The company's commitment to innovation and accessibility in quantum computing is evident through its partnerships with major cloud providers, making quantum computing more available and useful for a wide range of applications.