Innovation Lead - Quantum Technologies

Innovate UK has the following secondment opportunity available for employees of Innovate UK Business Connect:

Applications must be submitted by

13-05-2026

Innovation Lead - Quantum Technologies

Quantum Technology is recognised by the UK government as a critical growth opportunity—one where the UK is uniquely positioned to achieve global leadership. Following several years of foundational research and development, the sector is now entering a pivotal phase: the transition from innovation to real-world industrial impact.

This is not business as usual. We are seeking individuals with strong technical expertise who are ready to play a key role in delivering all aspects of Innovate UK’s Quantum Technology Programme. A good understanding of quantum computing, networking, positioning, navigation and timing (PNT), and/or sensing is essential to succeed in this role.

*Please note this advert will close on the 12th May 2026 at 23.59pm.

Watch our video “Why Join Innovate UK?” here.

Title:                  Innovation Lead - Quantum Technologies

Band:                UKRI Band F (UKRI Ts & Cs)

Salary:              £58,589 gross per annum

Reports to:     Deputy Challenge Director – Quantum Technologies

Location:        Field based

Contract:        Permanent

Innovate UK recognises the importance of work-life balance and we will be happy to discuss any requests for flexible working arrangements.

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.

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.

This is not an exhaustive list and you might be encouraged to undertake any other duties across the wider directorate, commensurate with the Band and level of responsibility of this post, for which the post holder has the key experience and/or training.

Shortlisting criteria

(S) – Assessed at shortlisting

(I) – Assessed at interview

(S&I) – Assessed at both shortlisting and interview

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)

Competencies:

All team members demonstrate compatibility with and capability against our Core Competencies such as:

Thinking and Problem Solving – Stakeholder management – Communication skills – Influencing – Self-awareness/self-management – Strategic awareness – Working with others– Project management

Some of the above competencies will be assessed at interview stage, in addition to the criteria’s listed in the person specification.

Travel Requirements:

Field-based: There will a requirement to travel, mostly national, and there is some flexibility in this. Innovate UK staff make extensive use of telepresence tools for meetings to minimise unnecessary travel.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

Innovate UK is a diverse workforce of people. We believe that encouraging these differences and drawing the best from them will build a productive environment in which everyone feels valued, where talents are fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met. Underpinning this is a belief that it is a fundamental right for everyone to be treated equally, with fairness, respect and dignity. We will act directly and use our influence to ensure that this right is promoted and upheld; we encourage applications from all those who meet the criteria set-out in our role profiles.

Equal Opportunities:

We are an equal opportunities employer, committed to employing any person who meets the criteria for our roles. When undertaking recruitment we may require applicants to undertake certain tests or assessments, some of which will be online and others may be in-person. If you have a disability, heath condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia then you may be entitled to support with undertaking this type of assessment exercise. Where you feel that reasonable adjustments are required to support you, we ask that you advise your recruitment point of contact in a timely fashion, providing further information. In confidence, Innovate UK will then review your application for adjustments and provide support as required.

UK Research and Innovation:

Innovate UK is partner organisation within UK Research and Innovation. If successful in securing the position, your employer will be UK Research and Innovation. More information can be found online http://www.ukri.org/.

Employee Benefits:

We offer a benefits package crafted to provide an excellent work/life balance. This includes 30 days’ annual leave, 10.5 public and privilege days, flexible working hours, an exceptional defined benefit pension scheme, and access to a variety of support networks and discount schemes.

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Flexible Working:

We understand the importance of work-life balance, and are happy to discuss the possibility of flexible working with applicants.

Pre-employment Screening:

To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a comprehensive pre-employment check on successful applicants as part of the recruitment process.

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider how this aligns with your personal values or beliefs. To enable us to hire the very best people we will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as a crucial part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.

Applications must be submitted by;

13-05-2026