Senior Director, U.S. Government Quantum Hardware Strategy - 1060

We are seeking a Senior Director, U.S. Government Quantum Hardware Strategy in our Broomfield, CO Location.

The Senior Director will lead U.S. government strategy for quantum computing hardware within the Compute Products business. This hands-on role will translate product and technology priorities into a focused portfolio of hardware development, integration, validation, benchmarking, and deployment initiatives across DOE, NIST, DoD, the national laboratories, defense laboratories, federally funded research and development centers, and other U.S. government organizations.

The role will align internal hardware engineering, systems architecture, product, manufacturing, supply-chain, business development, government affairs, legal, intellectual property, contracts, security, and program-management teams. Success requires deep understanding of quantum computing hardware, federal research and acquisition ecosystems, and the ability to shape technical requirements and move programs from concept through prototype, test, demonstration, and adoption.

Key Areas of Focus

• Develop and execute a U.S. government quantum hardware strategy aligned with Compute Products technology, product, and business priorities.
• Build a multi-year hardware roadmap spanning quantum processors, control electronics, cryogenic systems, interconnects, packaging, test infrastructure, and integration with classical computing.
• Expand the government portfolio across DOE, NIST, DoD, national laboratories, service laboratories, and other federal research and mission organizations.
• Lead a focused portfolio of hardware development, validation, benchmarking, demonstration, and deployment initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

U.S. Government Quantum Hardware Strategy and Portfolio Planning

• Develop and maintain a U.S.-focused quantum hardware strategy informed by federal mission priorities, product plans, hardware roadmaps, agency research agendas, laboratory capabilities, acquisition pathways, and competitive dynamics.
• Translate enterprise and Compute Products priorities into a portfolio of hardware engagements with clear technical hypotheses, architecture targets, milestones, decision gates, resource needs, and expected business impact.
• Prioritize opportunities across DOE, NIST, DoD, the military services, national and defense laboratories, and other federal organizations to diversify the portfolio beyond a single-agency focus.
• Establish portfolio KPIs covering hardware performance, reliability, manufacturability, integration readiness, benchmark adoption, external funding leverage, demonstration progress, and pathways to procurement or deployment.
• Coordinate with product and technical leaders to align federal requirements, hardware roadmaps, capital investments, and partnership priorities.
• Provide regular portfolio recommendations to senior leadership, including decisions to advance, reshape, pause, or exit initiatives.

Quantum Hardware Development and Government Engagement

• Map priority quantum hardware gaps to differentiated capabilities across DOE and DoD laboratories, NIST, federally funded research centers, university partners, user facilities, and specialized test and fabrication infrastructure.
• Lead engagements with government technical leaders, program offices, research laboratories, test organizations, acquisition stakeholders, standards bodies, and mission owners.
• Shape joint hardware programs covering processor architecture, qubit modalities, control systems, cryogenics, packaging, interconnects, calibration, error characterization, modularity, scalability, reliability, and hybrid quantum-classical integration.
• Develop joint technical scopes, hardware requirements, interface definitions, test plans, milestone structures, intellectual-property positions, and transition pathways.
• Structure collaborations through appropriate federal research, technology-transfer, contracting, and acquisition mechanisms in coordination with Legal, Contracts, Finance, Security, Export Control, and Intellectual Property teams.
• Identify and pursue federal funding, test access, facilities, technical expertise, and co-development opportunities that accelerate hardware maturation from prototype through mission-relevant demonstration.
• Maintain a qualified pipeline of government quantum hardware initiatives and concentrate resources on opportunities with the strongest technical differentiation and strategic value.

Hardware Benchmarking, Validation, and Adoption

• Define government-relevant hardware performance, reliability, scalability, and system-level validation priorities for quantum computing platforms.
• Translate agency and mission needs into measurable hardware requirements, test protocols, acceptance criteria, demonstration plans, and evidence packages.
• Drive adoption of priority quantum hardware benchmarks across DOE, NIST, DoD, and associated laboratories by developing and executing an influence strategy that aligns technical evidence, government stakeholders, laboratory champions, standards activity, and communications.
• Build coalitions across government, laboratories, industry, and academia to improve benchmark consistency, reproducibility, transparency, and relevance to real hardware progress.
• Use benchmark and test results to influence hardware roadmaps, investment decisions, program requirements, solicitations, and acquisition strategies.
• Design technical exchanges, hardware reviews, workshops, and demonstration forums that surface critical capability gaps and establish shared development priorities.
• Create executive narratives, technical briefs, and decision packages that communicate hardware differentiation, readiness, mission relevance, and U.S. strategic impact.

YOU MUST HAVE:

• Bachelor's degree minimum
• Minimum 12+ years of post-education experience in quantum computing, advanced computing, semiconductor systems, electronics, cryogenics, hardware engineering, technical strategy, product leadership, or government program development.
• Ability and willingness to travel within the United States as business needs require.
• Due to Contractual requirements, must be a U.S. Person defined as, U.S. citizen permanent resident or green card holder, workers granted asylum or refugee status
• Due to national security requirements imposed by the U.S. Government, candidates for this position must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless the candidate is also a U.S. citizen.

WE VALUE:

• Master's degree or PhD in electrical engineering, computer engineering, physics, quantum information science, or a related technical field.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing complex U.S. government hardware programs or partnerships involving federal agencies, national or defense laboratories, federally funded research centers, or research institutions.
• Strong working knowledge of quantum computing hardware architectures and key subsystem challenges, including control, calibration, packaging, interconnects, cryogenics, test, reliability, and system integration.
• Knowledge of DOE, NIST, and DoD missions, organizations, research programs, laboratories, and relevant partnership, funding, contracting, or acquisition pathways.
• Experience translating mission and technical needs into hardware requirements, business cases, program strategies, scopes of work, milestones, and measurable outcomes.
• Proven ability to influence and align senior technical, commercial, legal, acquisition, and government stakeholders without relying on direct authority.
• Strong executive communication, analytical, negotiation, and program-management skills.
• Established relationships within DOE, NIST, DoD, national laboratories, defense laboratories, federal R&D organizations, or the U.S. quantum technology ecosystem.
• Direct experience with quantum processors or enabling hardware, including control electronics, cryogenic infrastructure, packaging, interconnects, test systems, or classical integration.
• Experience developing hardware benchmarks, testbeds, joint demonstrations, externally funded programs, public-private initiatives, or pathways from research prototype to government deployment.
• Familiarity with federal funding and acquisition processes, security requirements, cost-share models, intellectual-property considerations, export controls, and U.S. government contracting environments.

$215,000 - $289,000 a year

This position is Bonus and Equity Eligible

The base pay range for this role is $215,000 - $289,000 annually. Actual compensation within this range may vary based on the candidate's skills, educational background, professional experience, and unique qualifications for the role.

What's in it for you?

We believe our people are our greatest strength and offer a comprehensive rewards package that supports your professional growth, well-being, and long-term success.

• Competitive compensation and the opportunity to work on groundbreaking technology
• Flexible work arrangements that support work-life balance
• Employer-subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match and student loan repayment benefit
• Equity opportunities
• Generous paid time off, sick leave, and 12 paid holidays annually
• Paid parental leave
• Employee discount programs