Beyond the lab - how interdisciplinary teams come together to build the quantum future
At Q-CTRL, we bring diverse teams like product, design, and engineering together to achieve our mission to make quantum technology useful. From educating the workforce on how quantum computing works, and building the next generation of quantum sensors, to delivering massive performance gains for end-users, it all starts with hiring the right talent.
When considering the different types of skills required to step into the quantum industry, a background in quantum physics or quantum computing may be top of mind for candidates. Importantly as a product-led company, we look for candidates with varying backgrounds depending on the role such as product management, design, and engineering - unique skills are the key to our success. A passion for quantum technology and deep tech is still a requirement!
Bringing diverse skills together to productize quantum technology
Working in deep tech domains like quantum technology provides an opportunity to upskill whilst applying existing knowledge and practices to new markets. A good example of this is our Product team who sets the roadmap for what we build. The team’s primary focus starts with one of our key principles: Define the destination. It’s an implicit expectation that we embody a figure-it-out mindset, embracing agility, adaptability, and versatility as an organization to reach our goals.
Many of our product-focused team members come from backgrounds spanning industries like big tech, startups, finance, government, and consulting. This broad range of experiences leads to diverse viewpoints on market analysis, customer adoption, technology interfaces, and business ROI.
These are some of the key attributes and skills we look for when hiring along with a natural drive to collaborate, a deep understanding of how to bring a product to life, and of course a passion for the potential of quantum technology.
I’ve been able to apply learnings from my prior experiences to my role as a Product Manager at Q-CTRL. Skills such as experimentation, product life cycle management, and feature discovery are all relevant to my role — it’s about applying that skillset to a new problem space!
Liz Koswara-Simms, Senior Growth Product Manager.
Building innovative solutions through teamwork and collaboration
Teamwork and collaboration are important in our ways of working and are essential skills we look for when hiring. Fostering cross-functional collaboration can boost efficiency, inspire innovation, drive impact, and ensure quality of work.
Our software engineers own the delivery plan jointly with product and design. Their voice and expertise are critical in turning groundbreaking research outcomes into world-leading software products. Apart from coding, an engineer’s day may include discussing customer feedback with a product manager, a user experience review with our design team, a deep dive into cloud architecture with other engineers, and various forms of pair programming with researchers and scientists on fascinating quantum-related topics.
Our collaborative approach creates opportunities and brings different perspectives and expertise together - this is what we strive for when building innovative technologies and solving complex problems. So whether you’re an engineer, designer, or physicist, we’re looking for like-minded individuals with the ability to work well across diverse teams and have consideration for others' perspectives.
My role involves working closely with technical teams across research, engineering, product, and design in order to turn cutting-edge research into an engineering product. It’s important to focus on utilizing each team member’s strengths and skills to achieve the common goal.
Ryan Dougherty, Software Engineer, Quantum Control.
Cultivating innovation in our design approach and opportunities for growth
Growth pathways and highly supportive team structures are essential ingredients for creating an engaging, innovative, and dynamic work environment. Our Design team champions this approach when thinking about the utility and depth at which the team brings value to an organization and our customers, and how we go about creating that value.
Our design team are learners, use intuition, and balance decision making with data and insights to find new and unexpected solutions. The team embraces curiosity, with a high level of autonomy and ownership, and is encouraged to seek out opportunities to continually learn new skills to support their career development across brand and product design.
When we look for designers to join the team, we’re less focused on where you’ve worked and more interested in working with curious creatives who think outside the box, enjoy being part of the product triad, and operate across the entire customer lifecycle with a passion for discovering new opportunities and a high level of design standards.
During my time at Q-CTRL, I've had the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of projects — from marketing initiatives and developing our education platform, Black Opal, to enhancing our accounts experience and building our design system. This diverse exposure has enabled me to acquire new skills, sharpen my expertise, and advance my career.
Christina Maresca, Staff Product Designer.
We’re hiring!
We need individuals from many different backgrounds to propel our product-led business forward. If you want to learn more about what we do and what it’s like to work at a quantum tech company, our careers page is a great place to start. You can also submit a talent inquiry via our website.
