Staff Project Manager

Entangled Future; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Q-CTRL in Sydney is seeking a Staff Project Manager to own end-to-end operations for external engagements within the PMO. You will lead bids, coordinate technical and commercial teams, and drive milestones from award to delivery.

The role emphasizes data-driven delivery, scalable governance, and global coordination across international hubs, with a focus on translating complex quantum and engineering concepts into compelling proposals.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in project/program management for complex technical or scientific programs.
• Experience leading end-to-end responses to external funding opportunities.
• Degree in a STEM discipline (or equivalent practical experience).
• Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear narratives.
• Experience with project budgets, contracts, and financial tracking.
• Experience creating PM templates and scalable delivery frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end bids for complex solicitations and contracts.
• Guide engineering and scientific teams through award to delivery.
• Govern project budgets, burn rates, schedules, and risk mitigation.
• Design scalable delivery frameworks and operational standards.
• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders across research, engineering, finance, and leadership.

Education

STEM degree

Job description

Staff Project Manager at Q-CTRL, Sydney. A lead-level full time position in the Operations team, listed under business operations.

About the team

The Project Management Office is the operationally-focused engine that drives big ideas into reality. We align strategy, streamline execution, and deliver measurable impact at scale. We turn complexity into clarity, empowering teams to achieve more, faster.

About the role

As Q-CTRL scales globally, our Program Management Office (PMO) is seeking an experienced Staff Project Manager to take end-to-end operational ownership of our strategic external engagements. From orchestrating high-value competitive bids to steering critical contract milestones, this role directly underpins the execution of our cutting-edge quantum technology initiatives. Operating within our Operations team, our PMO cuts through bureaucracy to get things done. We leverage data, automation, and continuous improvement to build infrastructure that scales ahead of our company's growth. You will serve as a cross-functional multiplier—driving delivery across technical and commercial teams while codifying PMO best practices globally.

Responsibilities

• Lead competitive bids: Drive end-to-end proposals for complex solicitations and customer contracts—translating complex quantum and engineering concepts into compelling, winning submissions
• Project delivery and execution: Partner with multidisciplinary engineering and scientific teams to guide physical builds, lab integration, and contractual milestones from award through to final delivery
• Own project governance & financials: Steer project budgets, burn rates, baseline schedules, and proactive risk mitigation across active R&D contracts to ensure predictable execution
• Scale our global PMO: Design and embed lightweight, scalable delivery frameworks, templates, and operational standards across our growing international hubs
• Drive internal and external stakeholder management: Serve as the trusted operational bridge connecting our research scientists, hardware engineers, finance, and leadership with technical authorities and program managers at client and prime organisation

Nice to Have

• Up to 8+ years of direct project/program management experience, specifically supporting complex technical engineering, deep-tech, or scientific research projects, with proven experience supporting multidisciplinary hardware delivery from early breadboard prototyping through to lab integration, environmental testing, and field trials
• Proven track record leading end-to-end responses to external funding opportunities (such as government grants, defense/agency solicitations, enterprise RFPs, or competitive tenders)
• A degree in a STEM discipline (or equivalent practical technical industry experience)
• Strong ability to synthesise complex technical concepts into clear, persuasive, and high-impact written narratives
• Demonstrated experience with project budget architecture, contract administration, expenditure tracking, and financial compliance
• Hands-on experience developing project management templates, codified workflows, and operational standards for scaling teams
• Exceptional cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to influence and manage stakeholders across research, engineering, finance, and executive leadership
• Direct experience managing government-sponsored engagements