Team Lead, Magnetic Navigation

Matchbox; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Q-CTRL in Sydney is seeking a Team Lead for Magnetic Navigation within the Sensing R&D team. You will own the team’s delivery cadence, decompose complex objectives, and coordinate multi-team releases to meet ambitious product milestones.

You’ll mentor engineers, collaborate with Product Managers on scope decisions, and drive architectural integrity while maintaining high engineering standards for quantum sensing hardware and software.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience delivering complex hardware-software products in deep-tech fields.
• Ability to lead multiple teams and align engineering outputs with department goals.
• Strong system-level thinking and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Own the team’s delivery cadence and translate product goals into actionable milestones.
• Coordinate multi-team releases and ensure aligned delivery across the Sensing R&D group.
• Facilitate technical debates and build consensus among senior specialists.
• Mentor engineers, conduct performance reviews, and foster a high-performance culture.
• Partner with Product Managers on scope trade-offs and architectural integrity.

Skills

Deep-tech systems

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical authority

Execution discipline

People leadership

Education

PhD or equivalent in atomic, molecular and optical physics

Tools

Quantum sensor hardware

Embedded electronics

Lasers & optics

Job description

# Team Lead, Magnetic NavigationQ-CTRLOn-site • SydneyFull-Time / Permanent## Role OverviewAbout the teamThe Sensing R&D team at Q-CTRL transforms quantum research into deployable technologies that address real-world problems. We design, build, and field-validate an array of quantum sensors that support our key products, including Ironstone Opal - our solution for GPS-denied navigation.You don’t need a background in quantum to make an impact here. We value strong engineering fundamentals, a product mindset, and a drive to solve the hardest engineering problems in quantum sensing today.What you'll be doing* Drive execution and pace: Own the team’s delivery cadence, translating high-level product goals and cross-department initiatives into structured, measurable execution milestones. Break down complex, first-of-their-kind engineering objectives into clearly scoped, sequenced, and trackable work packages.* Cross-team delivery synchronization: Partner closely with peer Team Leads across Sensing R&D to coordinate shared delivery schedules and merge multidisciplinary outputs into unified product releases, achieving department wide milestones. Connect company, division, and department priorities directly to team objectives, ensuring engineering efforts solve the right problems at the right level without unnecessary complexity.* Establish technical buy-in: Facilitate rigorous technical debates, build strong consensus among senior specialists, and drive unified commitment to execution plans.* Coach and develop talent: Manage, mentor, and support direct reports across engineering levels, provide continuous coaching, conduct performance reviews, and build a high-accountability and psychologically safe team environment.* Leadership partnership: Partner with Product Managers on scope trade-offs and Technical Leads on architectural integrity, ensuring aggressive multi-team delivery targets maintain uncompromising technical standards.Ideally you'll have* Deep-tech systems track record: Demonstrated experience delivering complex hardware-software products designed from the ground up in deep-tech, robotics, defense, or advanced engineering environments.* Cross-functional and inter-team collaboration: Proven success working alongside peer engineering leads, coordinating technical dependencies, and aligning multi-team deliverables toward overarching departmental goals. Ability to articulate plans, trade-offs, and critical risks with clarity to both direct reports and executive leadership* Technical authority and fluency: A solid engineering foundation (in science, embedded, electronics, or hardware) that allows you to challenge assumptions, earn technical credibility, and guide senior domain experts.* Execution Discipline & Delivery Risk Management: Proven success establishing team cadence and decomposing complex requirements into actionable backlogs, with the ability to proactively track cross-team dependencies, eliminate delivery bottlenecks, and make pragmatic trade-offs across scope, schedule, and quality in fast-evolving environments.* People leadership and coaching: Experience formally managing engineers, with a structured approach to mentoring, performance management, and career development.It would be fantastic if you have these skills/experience but not essential:* A PhD, or equivalent industry experience, in atomic, molecular, and optical physics or a closely related discipline.* Hands-on experience with quantum sensor hardware, such as lasers, optics, electro-optical systems.* Experience with products integrating custom physical sensors, embedded electronics, and real-time processing.* Exposure to defense, aerospace, or dual-use development environments.* Familiarity with defense, aerospace, or high-reliability qualification standards (e.g., DO-160, DO-178C, or Safety of Flight / SOF qualification pathways).* Experience with uncrewed vehicles (UAVs, UUVs), robotics, or dual-use defense technology.## The Team You'll JoinSensing R&D