Quantum Policy Lead

The Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) is a UK government department that aims to improve people's lives by maximizing the potential of science and technology. We accelerate innovation, investment, and productivity through world-class science, research, and development. Our goal is to use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with benefits widely shared.

The Quantum Policy Lead role is a Grade 7 position that oversees complex and high-profile policy workstreams within the Office for Quantum and acts as a senior figurehead for the UK government's quantum policy approach.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate for the quantum research, skills, and infrastructure role will:

• Work with UKRI to design and deliver the £90m quantum infrastructure fund to support quantum industry scale-up in the UK
• Drive the place-based strategy and input into the devolution agenda and manage relationships with regional authorities
• Oversee policy work on quantum skills, ensuring quantum skills interventions are targeted and impactful
• Develop strategic objectives for the research elements of the national quantum program, working with EPSRC to shape impactful interventions
• Oversee Departmental sponsorship of the National Physical Laboratory and work on quantum standards

The successful candidate for the quantum sensing and PNT role will:

• Lead the government's portfolio covering three National Quantum Missions: healthcare sensing, PNT, and sensing for critical infrastructure and defense
• Set the strategic direction and provide oversight for the sensing missions, working with UK Research and Innovation, the National Physical Laboratory, and other government departments
• Work across government to identify priority uses, understand operational needs, and translate them into clear requirements, trials, and routes to procurement and deployment
• Identify where government action can remove barriers, stimulate demand, and help quantum sensing companies grow and maintain high-value capability in the UK
• Lead the Office for Quantum's engagement with Defense, connecting emerging sensing and PNT capabilities with operational requirements and national security priorities

Requirements

Essential criteria:

• Leadership: experience of setting direction for a team, program, or substantial area of work
• Policy and strategic delivery: experience of developing policy or strategy and turning complex objectives into clear priorities, practical plans, and measurable outcomes
• Collaboration and influence: ability to build constructive relationships and deliver through people from different organizations, professions, and backgrounds
• Judgement: ability to make sound recommendations using complex, incomplete, or competing technical, commercial, or policy evidence
• Communication: ability to explain complex subjects clearly and provide effective advice to senior and non-specialist audiences

Desirable criteria:

• Working on technology, innovation, industrial growth, research and development, Defense, or national security
• Shaping or overseeing significant programs, public investment, procurement, or commercialization activity
• Working with technical or scientific specialists to develop policy or inform investment decisions

Benefits

• Salary: £58,275 - £71,040 per year
• Flexible working benefits, employee well-being support, and a great pension
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30
• Access to a range of retail, travel, and lifestyle employee discounts