{"id":1434975,"url":"https://alion.io/job/universal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering","title":"Head of Systems Engineering","company":{"id":51526,"name":"Universal Quantum","domain":"universalquantum.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/universal-quantum","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workable","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":90,"open_postings":10,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.2,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":71,"computed_at":"2026-10-25T05:49:26Z"}},"role":"Leadership","role_family":"Leadership","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Haywards Heath, United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":111000,"max_usd":208000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":66},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MBSE","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-28T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-28","last_verified_at":"2026-10-25T09:22:53Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":27,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":27},"description":"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.\nWe 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.\nThe 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.\nWhat You'll Accomplish\nSystems 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.\nSystem 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.\nTechnical assurance: Establish and chair proportionate design, readiness, test, and acceptance reviews; ensure risks, non-conformances, failure investigations, and corrective actions are managed to closure.\nProgramme delivery: Maintain system-level plans, dependencies, technical risks, and performance measures so programmes achieve agreed scope, schedule, cost, quality, and performance objectives.\nTeam leadership: Build, lead, and mentor multidisciplinary systems engineering and integration teams; set objectives and KPIs, develop capability, support recruitment, and establish clear accountability.\nCross-functional execution: Create effective working relationships across research, engineering, product, programme, quality, supply chain, and customer-facing teams, ensuring timely decisions and transparent communication.\nIntegration, verification, and validation: Contribute to the definition of the verification and test strategy for integrated assembly and systems. \nQuality, safety, and compliance: Ensure systems meet applicable reliability, safety, regulatory, contractual, and quality requirements, with evidence appropriate to each programme.\nStrategy and roadmap: Contribute to technical strategy and product roadmaps, identifying opportunities to improve system performance, modularity, manufacturability, serviceability, and scalability. \nRequirements\nTo be successful in this role, you must have:\nDegree in Systems Engineering, Physics, Electronics, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent industry experience.\n Significant experience leading systems engineering activities across complex multidisciplinary hardware and software products.\n Experience leading and developing multidisciplinary engineering teams within a scaling organisation.\nStrong experience owning requirements, system architecture, interfaces, integration, verification, validation, and system acceptance.\nDeep understanding of systems engineering methodologies, lifecycle models, risk management, design reviews, configuration management, and requirements management tools.\nProven ability to align global stakeholders across research, engineering, product, and programme functions.\nExcellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at all levels of the organisation.\nStrong systems-thinking capability and experience making sound decisions in technically challenging and ambiguous environments.\nIt would also be desirable, if you have:\nExperience within quantum computing or another deep-technology environment.\nExperience in semiconductors, photonics, cryogenics, ultra-high vacuum systems, precision electronics, or control systems.\nExperience transitioning advanced technologies from R&D into commercial products, customer deployments, or production environments. \nWe encourage you to apply even if you don't meet every requirement listed in the job description. If you believe you could make a positive impact, we'd love to hear from you.\nBenefits\nJoining Universal Quantum means becoming part of a rapidly growing company at the forefront of one of the world's most exciting technologies. As we continue to scale, you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of both our products and our organisation, taking on meaningful challenges with real impact. We offer an environment where talented people can grow their careers, broaden their expertise, and help solve some of the toughest engineering problems in the industry, all whilst working alongside world-class scientists and engineers.\nCompetitive salary \nMeaningful equity participation \nFlexible holiday allowance (28 days minimum)\nFlexible working\n10% matching pension\nGenerous parental support policy\nPrivate health / dental insurance & group life insurance\n£2,000 annual personal development budget\nRelocation support\nWe are committed to nurturing diversity and inclusion At Universal Quantum, we’re passionate about working with and for all kinds of minds. We are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, and we hold ourselves accountable through continuous improvement, transparency, and the way we design our hiring and working practices. We welcome team members from all backgrounds and actively work to ensure everyone can flourish.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5938,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Dental insurance","Equity","Flexible schedule","Life insurance"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Industrial Engineering","Quantum Science & Computing","Quantum Computing Hardware"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-29T02:52:53Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"GB","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"Licensed UK visa sponsor (Skilled Worker)","filings_12m":null,"filings_prev_12m":null,"green_card_filings_12m":null,"median_offered_wage_usd":null,"route":"Skilled Worker","cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-24T06:24:00+00:00","sources":["UK Home Office: register of licensed sponsors (workers)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":81,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.896,"p_room":0.9,"age_days":27,"expected_fill_days":71,"reasons":["conf:0","velocity","win:mid"],"computed_at":"2026-10-25T05:49:26Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/universal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/universal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-25T12:06:18Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":17438,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-26T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":51526},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=51526"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Funiversal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Funiversal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Funiversal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/universal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Funiversal-quantum-head-of-systems-engineering"}]}