Head of Control Systems

TN United Kingdom; Reading; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is looking for a Head of Control Systems to lead a talented team of engineers in the exciting field of quantum computing. This role involves overseeing the development of groundbreaking control systems that integrate classical and quantum technologies, ensuring timely project completion, and mentoring a dynamic team. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in FPGA design, embedded software, and project management methodologies like Agile or Scrum. If you are passionate about technological innovation and leadership, this is an opportunity to make a significant impact in a rapidly evolving sector.

Qualifications

• Proven Engineering leader with a background in hardware and embedded software.
• Experience across the full product development lifecycle.
• Solid FPGA design and verification skills.

Responsibilities

• Define and monitor progress against technical and team roadmaps.
• Oversee the team’s work ensuring timely completion of work packages.
• Lead complex research projects from prototypes to commercial deployment.

Skills

FPGA

Verilog

C/C++

RF engineering

Project management

Agile methodologies

Scrum

QA in electronics and software

Education

Degree in Engineering or related field

Experience in commercial or academic research

Job description

Head of Control Systems - £80-90k per annum

At OQC, our custom Control Systems bridge the gap between classical and cutting-edge Quantum computing hardware. We are seeking a Head of Control Systems to lead our team of six engineers, ensuring the development of our technology from prototypes to deployment, and delivering real-world quantum computing solutions to help lead the Quantum revolution.

You are a proven Engineering leader with a background in hardware, particularly FPGA, and embedded software, with experience across the full product development lifecycle. You balance active contribution to engineering work with leadership and project management, driving teams and projects to success. You are comfortable collaborating across departments and with external partners, including supply chain, Innovation Transfer, and Compiler teams.

Reporting to Owen Arnold (VP of Advanced Product Development), your responsibilities will include:

1. Defining and monitoring progress against the technical and team roadmaps, and helping to plan the next two years of milestones and strategy.
2. Overseeing the team’s work to ensure timely completion of work packages, resolving blocks and challenges.
3. Leading complex research projects from prototypes to commercial deployment.
4. Providing recommendations on resource allocation, hiring, and budgeting.
5. Preparing reports and presenting updates to senior leadership.
6. Ensuring 24/7 support for deployed devices in Japan, the UK, and Spain.
7. Evaluating collaborations with external partners and managing budgets and workloads.
8. Line-managing the team of six engineers, supporting their career development, performance, and technical guidance.

Ideal candidates will have experience from a commercial or academic research setting, with solid FPGA design and verification skills, and experience co-designing hardware and software. Project management experience with frameworks like Agile or Scrum, and a strong understanding of QA in electronics and software, are essential.

As a manager, you will have a passion for mentoring and leadership, supporting our team’s growth and development.

Technical experience required includes: FPGA, Verilog, C/C++, RF engineering.

If you are ready to drive the development of control systems, enable the integration of classical and quantum computing, and lead a team in creating the next technological revolution, we would love to hear from you.

We encourage applications from all backgrounds. While research indicates women are less likely to apply without full experience in all listed areas, we value diversity and skills can be learned.

Learn more about us at our website.