Senior Quantum Scientist

Job Title:                     Senior Quantum Scientist

Location:                     Malvern, Worcestershire – Flexible Working

Package:                      Highly Competitive Salary + Benefits Package

Role Type:                   Full time Permanent Role  

Role ID:                       SF16771

Be part of the QinetiQ journey. Join us as a Senior Quantum Scientist working as part of the Quantum Technology team at our Malvern site, where you will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and many of the industry’s most brilliant minds.

QinetiQ requires science and technology leaders, keen to be part of exciting growth in research and innovation, to enable Defence and Security to mitigate future challenges, whilst identifying and exploiting opportunities. Our quantum team specialises in a wide range of emergent quantum technologies including computing, sensing, Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) and comms. In particular, we are growing our capability in quantum computing, and are looking for a senior scientist or engineer to take a lead role in the growth of this capability.

We take a multi-disciplinary approach to our research, involving physicists, computer and data scientists, engineers and mathematicians, developing findings that provide new insights for our customers and growing the maturity of the technology. We have a diverse customer base across Defence research and wider UK government quantum research frameworks.

We have built relationships and collaborations with leading bodies in academia and the growing quantum industry, as well as collaborating across QinetiQ, matching up our quantum knowledge with our established test & evaluation expertise and working with domain experts in a diverse range of research fields.

Key Accountabilities

• Actively developing QinetiQ’s capability in quantum computing;
• Leading the technical direction and delivery of quantum computing projects; providing specialism where this fits your experience, and coordinating a wider technical team;
• Liaising with customers at a senior level to enhance our understanding of their requirements, and theirs of QinetiQ’s offerings;
• Production of costed proposals / bids for opportunities; leading the development of the technical solution and proposal;
• Understanding capability gaps and opportunities;
• Mentoring and training staff in the applications of quantum computing in order to grow the capability;
• Presenting technical outputs and findings to senior customers and stakeholders, being articulate in conveying both the technical detail and the ‘so what’ for the customer.

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

• 3 or more years of experience working in one or more fields of quantum technology, in particular quantum computing;

• Degree level or higher in a relevant science or technical discipline;
• Track record of technical leadership and delivery of projects, ideally in a research environment;
• Able to manage multidisciplinary project teams of scientists and engineers;
• Able to communicate effectively with people across the business, and externally with customers, suppliers and other stakeholders, with an ability to communicate complex technical subjects to a non-expert audience;
• Able to ensure that customer needs and expectations are addressed and/or satisfied whilst building and maintaining excellent relationships.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• An understanding of wider quantum technology including communications, sensing and PNT;
• Practical experimental experience using quantum systems;
• Understanding of the Defence and Security domain and underlying domain specific issues;
• Experienced in the development and maturation of technology through the engineering lifecycle;
• Experience of one or more of QisKit, PyQuil, BraKet. 

Our Benefits

• Adaptive and flexible working
• Generous holiday allowance
• Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Employee discount portal: Personal Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Restaurants, Cinema Tickets and much more.
• Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows most employees to buy up to 5 days’ additional leave.
• We are proud to support the Armed Forces community by honouring the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Payroll Giving and Volunteering - helping charities and local community.

Please note that all applicants must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.

UKSV National Security Vetting Solution: guidance for applicants - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Our volunteering programme enables our people to use their professional skills to make a positive difference in our local communities, for example STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) ambassador days in schools. We support a number of charities that are important to our people, including those which help the defence community.

Application Guidance

If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please contact your regional recruiting team in strictest confidence. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working - please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.

Why join QinetiQ?

As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.

You’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experience enjoy collaborating widely and openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through effective teamwork, and pulling together, you’ll get to experience what happens when we all share different perspectives, blend disciplines, and link technologies; constantly discovering new ways of solving complex problems in an diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential. Read more about our diverse and inclusive workplace culture here.  

Joining QinetiQ offers you an opportunity to work on a broad range of interesting defence-based projects with vast career progression across a global organisation in addition to competitive personal and professional benefits.  You’ll receive a highly competitive salary and benefits package: our basic salaries are very attractive as we constantly review what’s happening in the market. The range of benefits that we offer include, adaptive and flexible working, generous holiday entitlements, Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance and much more. 

About QinetiQ

As a company of over 6,000 dedicated professionals, we are a world-centre of excellence in research and development and act as a catalyst for fast-track innovation, offering outstanding experimentation facilities, and technical, engineering and scientific expertise. QinetiQ is made up of dedicated experts in defence, aerospace, security and related markets, all working together to explore new ways of protecting what matters most. Being part of QinetiQ means being central to the safety and security of the world around us. Partnering with our customers, we help to save lives; reduce risks to society; and maintain the global infrastructure on which we all depend. Come and find out how you can play a role.

Please note that many roles in QinetiQ are subject to national security vetting. Applicants that already hold the appropriate level of vetting may be able to transfer it upon appointment, subject to approval. A number of roles are also subject to restrictions on access to information that mean factors such as nationality, previous nationalities held and the country in which you were born may have an effect on the roles that you can be employed in.