Engineering Operations Supervisor

OQC; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Pension contributions

Income protection

Enhanced family leave

Job summary

OQC is seeking an Engineering Operations Supervisor to lead the labs and workshops at our Reading site, ensuring safe, compliant and well‑organised environments that enable engineers to build and test quantum computers.

You’ll oversee day‑to‑day operations, coordinate equipment maintenance, procurement and budgets, and work with Quantum and Control Engineers. This role requires hands‑on leadership, strong safety practices and effective collaboration with contractors.

Qualifications

• Experience leading people or coordinating technical teams in laboratories or workshops.
• Experience managing technical laboratories or workshops, ideally in data centres or critical facilities.
• Strong knowledge of laboratory health and safety requirements and risk identification.
• Experience coordinating procurement, equipment purchases, supplier relationships and budget approvals.
• Vendor and supplier-management skills, including scheduling maintenance and managing external contractors.
• Hands-on experience with assembly and fitting of scientific or engineering equipment.

Responsibilities

• Own the safe, compliant operation of laboratory and workshop environments, coordinating with Facilities Operations Manager and external auditors.
• Coordinate equipment installation, maintenance and procurement, focusing on cryogenic systems and related infrastructure.
• Manage technical work orders from engineers, prioritising and tracking to completion.
• Respond to equipment failures and safety incidents, mitigating risks and escalating complex issues.
• Support assembly, testing and maintenance of quantum computers and scientific equipment.
• Manage stock, orders, budgets and forecasts with Director of Engineering Operations.
• Document processes, train staff in safety and maintain installation support at deployment sites.

Skills

People leadership

Laboratory operations

Procurement & budgeting

Health and safety

Cryogenic systems knowledge

Electrical measurement techniques

Education

Engineering apprenticeship, BTEC, HNC/HND or degree

Job description

Engineering Operations Supervisor

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 ambition 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, the largest private funding round for a quantum computing company in Europe.

The Purpose

Create and maintain the safe, reliable and well‑organised technical environments that enable OQC’s engineers to build, test and operate quantum computers.

As our Engineering Operations Supervisor, you’ll oversee the day‑to‑day operation of the laboratories and workshops at your designated OQC site. You’ll ensure our technical spaces, equipment and supporting infrastructure remain safe, compliant, fully maintained and ready for experimental work.

The Role

Working within Engineering Operations, you’ll provide hands‑on leadership across laboratory and workshop activities while supporting Quantum Engineers, Control Engineers and other technical teams.

You’ll coordinate equipment maintenance, work orders, suppliers, procurement, budgets, stock and health and safety. You’ll also help assemble and maintain scientific equipment, including the cryogenic systems used to support OQC’s superconducting quantum computers.

This is a practical, operational role requiring someone who can anticipate problems, respond confidently to technical incidents and create the processes needed to keep complex engineering environments running effectively.

What You’ll Be Working On

• Own the safe, compliant and effective operation of OQC’s laboratory and workshop environments, working with the Facilities Operations Manager and external auditors to maintain appropriate standards.
• Coordinate the ordering, installation and maintenance of laboratory equipment, with a particular focus on cryogenic dilution refrigerators, compressors, chillers and oxygen‑detection systems.
• Manage technical work orders from Quantum Engineers and Control Engineers, ensuring requests are prioritised, tracked and completed accurately and on time.
• Respond to equipment failures, safety concerns and laboratory incidents by troubleshooting problems, mitigating immediate risks and escalating complex or high‑impact issues.
• Support the assembly, disassembly, installation, testing and maintenance of quantum computers, scientific equipment, and associated mechanical and electrical devices.
• Manage suppliers, stock levels, liquid nitrogen monitoring, purchase requests and budget forecasts, working closely with the Stores Controller and Director of Engineering Operations.
• Document laboratory processes and standards, coordinate relevant health and safety training, and occasionally support equipment installations at OQC deployment sites in the UK and overseas.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience leading people or coordinating technical teams within a laboratory, workshop or similarly complex engineering environment.
• Experience managing technical laboratories or workshops, ideally within a data centre, scientific facility or other operationally critical setting.
• A practical understanding of laboratory health and safety requirements, including the ability to identify risks, apply standards and maintain accurate documentation.
• Experience coordinating procurement, equipment purchases, supplier relationships and budget approvals.
• Strong vendor and supplier‑management skills, including the ability to schedule maintenance and oversee external contractors.
• Hands‑on experience with the assembly and fitting of scientific or engineering equipment.
• Knowledge of water systems and manifolds, vacuum systems, and electrical measurement and diagnostic techniques.
• Strong planning, organisation and problem‑solving skills, with the confidence to make decisions and elevate issues appropriately.
• Clear communication and active‑listening skills, with the ability to influence colleagues and collaborate across different technical disciplines.
• A technical apprenticeship, BTEC, HNC/HND, degree or equivalent experience in engineering or a related discipline.

The ‘Nice‑to‑Haves’

• Experience working within quantum computing or high‑performance computing environments.
• Experience maintaining cryogenic, vacuum or cleanroom systems.
• Budget‑management and financial‑forecasting experience.
• A track record of improving laboratory, workshop or technical‑operations processes.
• Experience coaching and developing technicians or other technical colleagues.
• A recognised health and safety qualification, such as IOSH or NEBOSH.
• A project‑management qualification, such as PRINCE2.
• Experience supporting the installation and commissioning of complex scientific equipment at customer or deployment sites.

Why Join OQC

You’ll join a world‑class team working at the forefront of the next era of computing. This position offers the opportunity to take genuine ownership of the environments in which OQC’s quantum technology is assembled, tested and developed—directly enabling engineers and scientists to perform their best work.

You’ll work with distinctive cryogenic and laboratory infrastructure, solve a varied range of practical engineering challenges, and help establish the operational standards that support OQC’s continued growth. OQC also provides a competitive benefits package, including private medical insurance, pension contributions, income protection and enhanced family leave.