Senior Director, Technology Partnerships

PsiQuantum; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 207,000 - 243,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401(k) with company match

Equity grants

Wellness benefits

Paid leave programs

Company-designated holidays

Job summary

PsiQuantum in Chicago leads the U.S.’s largest quantum computing project and seeks a Senior Director, Technology Partnerships to bridge PsiQuantum’s technical teams with external partners. You will build strategic university and national lab collaborations, shape joint programs, and secure federal funding while aligning with PsiQuantum’s roadmap and business priorities.

The role requires Ph.D., 10+ years, exceptional communication, and the ability to operate across academia, industry, and

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant technical field with strong research background.
• Proven ability to translate academic work into partnered programs.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication across diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop PsiQuantum's regional technology partnerships strategy in Chicago.
• Represent PsiQuantum to universities, labs, and research consortia.
• Evaluate collaborations and transition them into funded projects.
• Coordinate with federal partnerships and internal sponsors.

Skills

Technical partnerships

Public speaking

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Ph.D. in a relevant technical field

Job description

PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems. Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries. Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries,we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale. PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact. Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real. Come join us.

Job Summary

PsiQuantum is leading the U.S.’s largest quantum computing project as the anchor tenant of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP) in Chicago. The strength of the region’s universities, national laboratories, and science and technology ecosystem creates opportunities for PsiQuantum to advance its strategy through external partnerships. The Senior Director, Technology Partnerships leads PsiQuantum’s engagement with the research and education ecosystem in Chicago and the broader region. This role serves as the primary bridge between PsiQuantum’s technical teams and external partners, identifying and shaping technical collaborations, translating external opportunities into coordinated internal action, and representing PsiQuantum as a scientifically credible leader. The role requires strong technical fluency, institutional judgment, and the ability to build and sustain trusted relationships across organizational boundaries. Success depends on developing a focused portfolio of partnerships that are aligned with PsiQuantum’s roadmap and business priorities, appropriately sponsored and resourced, and structured around strategically valuable outcomes.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead PsiQuantum’s technology partnerships strategy for Chicago and the broader regional ecosystem, including universities, national laboratories, research consortia, and other members of the science and technology ecosystem. Serve as PsiQuantum’s principal technical point of contact and spokesperson for external stakeholders in the region, deliver technical presentations, participate in public and private forums, and lead the company’s scientific and technical engagement with the ecosystem. Build and maintain strategic partnerships with universities and national laboratories, develop collaborative research programs, and facilitate the company’s access to specialized technical expertise and capabilities, where aligned with PsiQuantum priorities. Work with PsiQuantum’s technical and organizational leaders to evaluate prospective collaborations, establish internal sponsorship, define responsibilities and resource requirements, transition approved activities into execution, and maintain responsibility for the overall institutional relationship. Coordinate with the Senior Director, Federal Scientific Partnerships, on development and capture of federal funding opportunities that involve regional partners. Participate in the development of joint funding proposals and represent PsiQuantum in multi-party submissions. Serve as a trusted private-sector sounding board to regional colleges and universities on technical skills needed for the quantum computing industry. Coordinate with PsiQuantum’s talent acquisition team to leverage relationships with regional universities and national laboratories to support internships, recruiting, and long-term talent pipeline development.

Experience/Qualifications

Ph.D. in a relevant technical field. Minimum of 10 years of applicable professional experience, such as scientific research, advanced technology development, technology partnerships or commercialization, or similar. Strong technical fluency and credibility with researchers, faculty, senior institutional leaders, government stakeholders, and private-sector executives. Outstanding written and verbal communication skills and an exceptional ability to translate complex technical subject matter for scientific, government, business, and public audiences. Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and sometimes ambiguous environment. Ability to travel as required.

Preferred Qualifications

Familiarity with the research, educational, and innovation ecosystem in Chicago, Illinois, and the Midwest. Existing relationships with universities, national laboratories, research consortia, and other science and technology organizations in the region. Experience developing multi-institutional research collaborations, joint proposals, or other funded technical projects. Understanding of fault-tolerant quantum computing, computational science, integrated photonics, or other related fields of advanced technology. Experience and comfort working across private sector, academic, national laboratory, and government settings.

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Base pay is one part of the total compensation package. Full-time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Our compensation ranges reflect the cost of labor across multiple U.S. geographic markets, and we pay based on defined geographic zones. This position is located within the Zone 3 (Examples include Austin, Chicago, and Sacramento) salary range. Actual compensation within the stated salary range will depend on a variety of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, business needs, and internal equity. Your recruiter can provide additional information about the compensation for this role during the hiring process.

Benefits

• competitive health coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) with company match
• equity grants
• access to financial wellness tools and planning resources
• wellness benefits
• family support programs
• life and disability insurance
• paid leave programs
• company-designated paid holidays
• discretionary time off (DTO)
• an end-of-year company shutdown

Some benefits have eligibility requirements and may vary based on role or employment status.

Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company.

The estimated annual base salary range for this role in Chicago, Illinois is: Zone 3 $207,100 — $243,300 USD