Quantum Engineer

NearTech Search; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

NearTech Search in the UK is seeking a Quantum Sensing Systems Lead to set direction, build the team and turn an ambitious sensing roadmap into working systems. You’ll own engineering execution and guide the UK operation from day one.

The role combines hands-on technical leadership with strategic collaboration across optics, electronics, and atomic physics, supported by an established international group.

Qualifications

• Strong grounding in quantum sensing or a neighbouring field.
• 4+ years leading complex technical programmes.
• Track record building precision or experimental systems.
• Systems mindset, understanding how design choices affect the whole.
• Comfort writing test scripts and working with acquisition data.

Responsibilities

• Define the architecture and integrate optics, electronics, and atomic physics into a coherent system.
• Set milestones, track risk, and keep documentation up to date.
• Hire, develop and lead the UK engineering team and represent the business in the UK quantum community.

Skills

Quantum sensing

Programme leadership

Systems engineering

Lab automation

Data acquisition

Education

PhD welcomed but not essential

Tools

Python for data analysis

Lab instrumentation

Job description

A fast-growing & well backed quantum technology scale-up is expanding into the UK. They are in need of a new Quantum Sensing Systems Lead to be part of their global growth. You’ll set the direction, build the team and turn an ambitious sensing roadmap into working systems.

It’s a rare chance to shape a UK operation from day one. You’ll own engineering execution and team direction, with the backing of an established international business behind you.

The role in three parts

Build the technology

You’ll take sensing concepts and make them real. That means defining the architecture, bringing optics, electronics and atomic physics together into one system, and getting prototypes tested, characterised and improved. As designs mature, you’ll partner with the wider engineering and manufacturing groups to make them robust enough to ship.

Lead the programme

You’ll decide what gets built and when. Clear milestones, honest risk tracking and good documentation will keep the work moving. When the problems get hard, you’ll be in the lab alongside the team, not just reviewing from a distance.

Grow the UK presence

You’ll hire and develop the engineers who join you. You’ll also be the face of the business in the UK quantum community, building links with universities, government programmes and industry partners.

Who this suits

Someone who has led hard technical work through to results. Your background could be physics, engineering or something adjacent. What counts is the systems you’ve delivered.

You’ll likely have:

• Strong grounding in quantum sensing or a neighbouring field
• 4+ years leading complex technical programmes
• A track record building precision or experimental systems
• A systems mindset, seeing how each design choice affects the whole
• Comfort writing test scripts and working with acquisition data
• The right to work in the UK

It would help if you’ve worked with atomic clocks, magnetometers, neutral atoms, laser spectroscopy, low-noise measurement or experimental automation. None of these are deal-breakers. A PhD is welcome but not essential. Equivalent depth from industry or research counts just as much.