Job Description

Your mission

As Software Engineering Manager – Control System at planqc, you will lead and support a growing team of engineers working closely with the hardware development of our neutral-atom quantum computer You will ensure their personal growth, technical excellence, and delivery impact while driving the development of the control system software stack In close collaboration with cross-functional teams, particularly hardware engineers and senior leadership, you will align technical execution with company strategy and product priorities, while fostering a healthy and collaborative engineering culture.

Key responsibilities

People Management

• Lead and support a team of engineers.
• Run regular 1:1s, mentoring, and career development conversations.
• Provide performance feedback and conduct evaluations.
• Hire, onboard, and retain top engineering talent.
• Foster a healthy, diverse, and collaborative team culture.

Technical & Project Management

• Drive execution through planning, prioritization, and delivery monitoring.
• Align team goals with company and product priorities.
• Ensure engineering quality standards (testing, reviews, documentation).
• Facilitate design discussions and guide technical decisions.
• Coordinate dependencies with hardware and software teams and proactively remove blockers.
• Communicate progress, risks, and needs to senior leadership.
• Support preparation and submission of new project and funding applications.

Your responsibilities

Necessary requirements:

• 3–5 years of experience in engineering leadership, or strong track record as senior engineer with team coordination experience.
• Solid technical background in embedded systems, control software, software architecture, distributed systems, and industry experience in hardware-related development
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop tests and integration with experimental hardware.
• Experience working in or with optics labs.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with proven ability to build trust and motivate teams.
• Experience with project management practices and agile workflows.
• Fluent in English (spoken and written); German is a plus.
• Valid work permit for Germany or the EU.

Supplementary skills:

• Background in electronics, FPGA programming, or real-time systems.
• Prior experience in a startup or research-driven environment.
• Experience working with funding applications or R&D projects.