Innovation Lead - Quantum Technologies

Job summary

Context:

The Innovation Lead will operate within the Quantum Technologies Team and help with the delivery of a £600m + portfolio of activities to support Quantum Technology businesses in the UK.

You should have an interest in quantum innovation and its adoption to achieve societal prosperity and security.

We particularly welcome female applicants as women are under-represented within Innovate UK in this type of role.

Job Purpose:

As an Innovation Lead, you will lead on Innovate UK’s activity in Quantum Technologies, ensuring that cutting-edge innovations are identified, supported, and translated into opportunities that UK businesses can develop and scale. You will play a key role in maximizing the commercial and industrial impact of quantum innovation, enabling growth in response to emerging technological challenges and market opportunities.

Job description

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Collaborate in the development and promotion of our Quantum Technology Programme based on a good understanding of relevant industries and technologies and wider innovation infrastructure.
• Support the implementation of the Programme to enable industry to commercialise and adopt new products, processes, business models and services.
• Build positive relationships with relevant government bodies and networks such as businesses, trade associations, national labs and research organisations, government departments and agencies, private investors, regulatory bodies and research organisations.
• Ensure that UK activity is set in an international context and recognises regional strengths across the UK.
• Work with Innovate UK and UKRI colleagues and networks on decisions made in your specialist area, to ensure they make sense in the context of the broader organisation, strategically and operationally.
• Represent Innovate UK and UKRI at events (such as conferences, meetings, workshops) and in the media as appropriate.
• Support evaluation and impact analysis of the Quantum Technology programme including individual projects.

Person specification

Person Specification:

We are looking for someone with strong commercial awareness and technical skills to manage competing priorities within a complex innovation landscape. You will have experience in problem solving, project management and strategic thinking, enabling you to track progress effectively, assess impact, and ensure delivery against key objectives. You will be able to synthesize multiple data sources, identify underlying patterns, and translate these into a clear and compelling vision of what needs to be done next to support Quantum Technology businesses. A collaborative team player, you will be willing to share your quantum expertise while also actively learning from others. You will also be comfortable taking initiative and working independently when required.

Experience & Qualifications:

Essential –

• Degree or postgraduate qualification (or equivalent experience) in a discipline relevant to Quantum Technologies, such as Physics, Engineering, Photonics, Computer Science, or a closely related field. (S)
• Up-to-date understanding of Quantum Technologies in a commercial environment. (S&I)
• Appreciation of the wider industrial and economic landscape in the UK. (S&I)
• Experience with research and technology transfer. (S)
• Ideally, experience of working across technology fields and with a broad and current understanding of developments in other technology areas. (I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,589, Innovate UK contributes £16,973 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

1st interview incl presentation.

Interviews will either take place remotely via Teams or in person face to face.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Recruitment@ukri.org
• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org