Head of Systems Engineering

At Universal Quantum, we are building the next generation of quantum computers - machines capable of solving problems once thought impossible. Our technology has the potential to transform industries from healthcare to aerospace, materials science, and beyond. As we scale from breakthrough R&D to global delivery, resilient execution becomes as critical as technical innovation.

We are looking for a Head of Systems Engineering who will be accountable for the definition, and implementation of complex quantum computing systems. The role leads multidisciplinary systems engineering across electronic, mechanical, cryogenic, vacuum, optical, software, and control domains, ensuring that product requirements are translated into coherent, testable, and deployable system solutions.

The position combines senior technical leadership, organisational development, and programme delivery. It owns system-level engineering rigour from concept through customer deployment, while building an effective, collaborative engineering organisation across UK and international locations.

What You'll Accomplish

• Systems engineering leadership: Define and implement the systems engineering strategy, lifecycle, standards, governance, and toolset, including requirements management, traceability, modelling, simulation, configuration control, and MBSE where appropriate.
• System definition and architecture: Lead system-level design and requirements decomposition, working with Product, Architecture, Quantum, Hardware, Software, and Control teams to establish clear interfaces, budgets, specifications, trade-offs, and acceptance criteria.
• Technical assurance: Establish and chair proportionate design, readiness, test, and acceptance reviews; ensure risks, non-conformances, failure investigations, and corrective actions are managed to closure.
• Programme delivery: Maintain system-level plans, dependencies, technical risks, and performance measures so programmes achieve agreed scope, schedule, cost, quality, and performance objectives.
• Team leadership: Build, lead, and mentor multidisciplinary systems engineering and integration teams; set objectives and KPIs, develop capability, support recruitment, and establish clear accountability.
• Cross-functional execution: Create effective working relationships across research, engineering, product, programme, quality, supply chain, and customer-facing teams, ensuring timely decisions and transparent communication.
• Integration, verification, and validation: Contribute to the definition of the verification and test strategy for integrated assembly and systems.
• Quality, safety, and compliance: Ensure systems meet applicable reliability, safety, regulatory, contractual, and quality requirements, with evidence appropriate to each programme.
• Strategy and roadmap: Contribute to technical strategy and product roadmaps, identifying opportunities to improve system performance, modularity, manufacturability, serviceability, and scalability.