R&D Manager - Software -914 in Cambridge

R&D Manager - Software -914 in Cambridge

Cambridge Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Quantinuum Ltd.

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead a team developing cutting-edge quantum programming tools and drive technical innovation.
  • Company: Join Quantinuum, the world leader in quantum computing, and shape the future of technology.
  • Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, equity, 28 days holiday, flexible working, and enhanced parental benefits.
  • Other info: Collaborate with top talent globally and grow your career in a dynamic environment.
  • Why this job: Be at the forefront of the quantum revolution and make a real impact in tech.
  • Qualifications: Strong software engineering experience and leadership skills are essential; quantum experience is a plus.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

We are seeking an R&D Manager - Software to lead the team developing Quantinuum's programming-language and compiler tools, including Guppy, HUGR and TKET.

These tools form a core part of our quantum software stack, enabling developers and internal teams to translate high-level quantum programs into robust, executable systems.

This role combines technical leadership and people management in roughly equal parts.

Working with software leadership and senior engineers, you will define and execute the technical roadmap, guide architectural decisions, and ensure that our language and compiler ecosystem is scalable, maintainable and ready for production use.

You will remain technically engaged through design, code review, problem-solving and implementation.

Prior quantum-computing experience is valued but not required; demonstrated leadership and strong, relevant software-engineering experience are essential.

This is a hybrid position based in our Cambridge office, with an expectation of working on site some days each week.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead, mentor and develop a high-performing team of software engineers, setting clear expectations and supporting career development at every level.
  • Define and deliver the team's roadmap jointly with software leadership and senior individual contributors, allocating capacity, tracking progress, and managing priorities, risks, dependencies and cross-team handoffs.
  • Provide technical leadership across the language, compiler and developer-tooling stack.
  • Guide software through the full development lifecycle, from research and prototyping to tested, documented and production-ready releases.
  • Partner with research, applications, product, hardware and other software teams in the UK and US to align interfaces and ensure the software stack supports Quantinuum's quantum processors and priority use cases, with occasional travel to Quantinuum's US sites.
  • Recruit, onboard and retain excellent engineers, and continuously improve the team's engineering and delivery practices.

YOU MUST HAVE

  • A bachelor's degree or higher in Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering or a related field.
  • Minimum five years of combined relevant experience in software engineering, compiler or programming-language development, or closely related technical R&D.

Relevant postgraduate research, including master's and Ph D study, may count towards this total.

  • Demonstrated leadership of technical projects or teams, including shaping technical direction, mentoring engineers and coordinating delivery.
  • Experience making and communicating architectural decisions for production software, with attention to testing, documentation and long-term maintainability.
  • Strong planning and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical disciplines.

WE VALUE

  • Experience developing quantum software, particularly quantum programming languages, compilers, intermediate representations, runtime systems or execution tooling.
  • An understanding of quantum programming models, hardware-software co-design and the interaction between classical and quantum computation.
  • Direct experience designing or implementing programming languages, type systems, compiler passes or intermediate representations.
  • Experience developing production-quality software in Rust or Python.
  • Previous experience as a line manager or team lead, including coaching, recruiting, onboarding and supporting engineers' career development.
  • Experience leading or collaborating with geographically distributed technical teams.
  • Experience contributing to or maintaining open-source software and working with developer communities.
  • A track record of maturing research ideas and prototypes into software used by customers or other engineering teams.

What is in it for you?

Working alongside a highly talented team, with leading names in the quantum computing industry.

We offer a highly competitive package, equity, 28 days of paid holiday (in addition to public holidays), a workplace pension, a positive approach to flexible working and enhanced parental and adoption benefits.

About Us

Quantinuum is the world leader in quantum computing.

The company’s quantum systems deliver the highest performance across all industry benchmarks.

Quantinuum’s over 650 employees, including 400+ scientists and engineers, across the US, UK, Germany, and Japan, are driving the quantum computing revolution.

By uniting best-in-class software with high-fidelity hardware, our integrated full-stack approach is accelerating the path to practical quantum computing and scaling its impact across multiple industries.

By joining Quantinuum, you’ll be at the forefront of this transformative revolution, shaping the future of quantum computing, pushing the limits of technology, and making the impossible possible.

Visit our news pages to learn more about Quantinuum and our scientific breakthroughs and achievements: https://www. quantinuum. com/news

Quantinuum Intro Video: The Future of Quantum Computing

Please note that employment with us is subject to successfully passing our pre-employment screening checks.

We are an inclusive equal opportunity employer.

You will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, or veteran status.

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R&D Manager - Software -914 in Cambridge employer: Quantinuum Ltd.

Quantinuum Ltd. is an exceptional employer located in the heart of London, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration among top-tier professionals in the quantum computing field. Employees benefit from extensive growth opportunities, access to cutting-edge technology, and a supportive environment that encourages continuous learning and development. Join us to be part of a pioneering team that is shaping the future of quantum algorithms and making a meaningful impact in the industry.

Quantinuum Ltd.

Contact Details:

Quantinuum Ltd. Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land R&D Manager - Software -914 in Cambridge

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Contribute to Open Source Projects

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We think you need these skills to ace R&D Manager - Software -914 in Cambridge

Technical Leadership
People Management
Software Engineering
Compiler Development
Programming Language Development
Architectural Decision Making
Project Management

Some tips for your application 🫡

Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.

Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Quantinuum Ltd..

Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Quantinuum Ltd. and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!

Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!

How to prepare for a job interview at Quantinuum Ltd.

Brush Up on Your Coding Skills

For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.

Know Your Tools and Frameworks

Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Quantinuum Ltd. uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.

Showcase Your Projects

Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.

Prepare for Behavioural Questions

While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.