Technology Manager - Quantum Performance Engineering

At OQC, we aren’t just theorising about the future; we’re building it. Born from a philosophy of bold innovation, we’ve successfully transitioned quantum computing from an academic dream into a commercial reality.

The most exciting thing is that we’re just getting started and we’ve recently closed our £260 million Series C funding round which is the largest fundraise ever completed by a quantum computing company in Europe. (OQC)

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 5pm on Friday 2nd October 2026

The Purpose

Build and lead Quantum Performance Engineering: a new function dedicated to unlocking the full computational capability of OQC’s quantum processors across their lifecycle. You’ll turn experimental advances into measurable, repeatable performance—delivering more reliable quantum operations, stronger algorithmic benchmarks and greater readiness for fault-tolerant computing.

The Role

As Technology Manager within Advanced Compute Engineering, you’ll lead the bridge between Processor Innovation and Calibration Operations. Once a viable route to the required gate set is demonstrated, your team takes ownership of the control, calibration, optimisation and benchmarking methods that turn it into high-performance operation.

You’ll have significant autonomy to shape the team, explore new approaches and build internal and external partnerships. Working closely with calibration, compiler, software and control teams, you’ll take solutions through to operational handover. Your focus will be current-generation processors, with scope to explore next-generation devices and gate schemes—not just optimise within a fixed system design.

What You'll Be Working On

• Set the performance benchmark. Own the algorithmic North-Star benchmark for stable platforms and quantify improvements across technology iterations against the original processor baseline.
• Build and develop the team. Grow a high-performing function, mentor scientists and engineers, champion new approaches and engage third-party expertise to accelerate progress.
• Push gate performance further. Lead high-fidelity single- and two-qubit gate optimisation, suppressing leakage, crosstalk, drift and coherent errors while advocating for system-level improvements.
• Make performance measurable and repeatable. Own characterisation, verification, benchmarking and error-budgeting methods; define calibration requirements and procedures with the teams implementing them.
• Create reference implementations. Develop gold-standard primitives that exploit higher-fidelity designs, and publish a reference library for external software teams.
• Advance fault-tolerant readiness. Develop error mitigation, logical performance analysis and fault-tolerant quantum computing optimisation where needed, co-developing solutions with partner teams.
• Turn advances into operational capability. Translate experimental methods into repeatable tools and workflows, ensure performance requirements are addressed across the software and control stack, and hand over implementations for deployment.

What We're Looking For

• A PhD in Physics or Engineering, with studies relating to quantum technologies, particularly quantum control.
• Significant experience improving quantum processor performance, including high-fidelity single- and two-qubit gate development or optimisation.
• Strong skills in quantum control, pulse optimisation and experimental gate tune-up, alongside characterisation, verification, benchmarking, error analysis, error budgeting and performance modelling.
• Scientific programming and data analysis skills, with experience translating experimental methods into reproducible workflows, tools or operational handover packages.
• Technical leadership across science, engineering and operations, with experience mentoring early career scientists or engineers.
• Experience identifying and managing third parties, negotiating goals and jointly defining clear, timely requirements with partner teams.
• Clear written communication, including handover documentation and decision records, backed by strong planning, sound judgement and an inventive, ownership-driven approach to problem-solving.

The 'Nice-to-Haves'

• Experience with optimal control, closed-loop calibration, Hamiltonian or system identification, or signal-chain predistortion.
• Experience with error mitigation, logical performance analysis, fault-tolerant quantum computing, logical qubits, quantum error correction and its control requirements, decoders or dynamic-circuit workflows.
• Experience with superconducting quantum computing systems, compilers, pulse compilation or control-stack integration.
• Experience defining operational acceptance criteria for quantum processor capabilities or scaling research workflows into production engineering environments.
• Experience leading technical teams or programmes across experimental quantum science and engineering, or working across hardware, software, compiler and operations teams.

Why Join OQC?

You will join a world-class team at the forefront of the next computational era. We offer a culture of bold innovation, the chance to work with unique lab infrastructure, and the opportunity to see your work redefine the limits of computation.

Learn more about our benefits and positive work culture here: (OQC)