Head of Engineering

Founded in 2020 and based in the heart of Paris, C12's mission is to be at the center of one of the biggest technological breakthroughs of the century, and change the course of history by building a universal quantum computer.

At C12, we believe that achieving a true breakthrough in quantum computing requires rethinking the fundamentals. That's why our founders—deeply rooted in academic and engineering excellence—have chosen carbon nanotubes as the building blocks of our quantum processors. This ultra-pure material dramatically reduces error rates, boosts performance, and minimises hardware overhead—key ingredients for scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing. By crafting a unique approach that scales, we aim to revolutionise quantum computing just as silicon transformed classical computing.

Since our founding, we've raised over €25 million in funding, published 11 scientific papers, and secured 8 patents. Today, our fast-growing team of 60, including 20 PhDs, has over 20 nationalities represented. We have our own cutting-edge lab space in Paris' historic Panthéon district; where scientists, engineers, and innovators work side-by-side to tackle some of the most exciting technical challenges of our time.

Your role at C12 Quantum Electronics

• As a direct report to the CEO, you will play a critical role in building a resilient and scalable engineering organisation. You will leverage our R&D teams as they address the core scientific and technical challenges of developing a utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer. You will be responsible for defining and documenting how we conceive, design, and build our final, long-term quantum computer - a large-scale quantum processing unit (QPU) consisting of hundreds of thousands of high-quality, highly connected physical qubits and incorporating quantum error correction. In our job description, this is referred to as "the system." You will introduce tools and practices that foster a high-performance engineering culture and work closely with our multidisciplinary team of engineers and physicists to bridge the gap between system architecture and practical implementation. Additionally, you will develop our near-term quantum production line, designing and optimising manufacturing process flows to support the production of future QPU products. Our product roadmap is structured around a clear set of engineering requirements for each generation of product. You will also establish advanced measurement and testing facilities essential for hardware validation and long-term reliability. This role will eventually include team management responsibilities. Your responsibilities will include:

Systems engineering:

• Guiding "the system" through its entire lifecycle - from initial conceptualisation and design through detailed development and rigorous validation
• Collaborate with product, design & R&D teams to define, refine, and document system requirements that align with technical and business goals
• Maintaining a system-level perspective, integrating cross-functional & external inputs and identifying technological barriers to industrialisation
• Acting as a communication hub for technical decision-making and documentation, ensuring that the R&D knowledge is captured, understood, and applied throughout development
• Defining and documenting validation test plans of components/sub-systems/systems to verify that each of them meets its specifications and performance targets
• Collaborating with partnerships and supply teams to support informed make-or-buy decisions

Manufacturing & advance testing facilities:

• Designing, developing, and deploying a new quantum production line optimised for carbon nanotube-based quantum chips, building on processes developed by the R&D teams; to establish a stable, scalable process that enables high-throughput production
• Overseeing the conception, construction, and commissioning of advanced measurement and testing facilities
• Collaborating with research and product teams to translate prototypes into scalable and manufacturable designs

Engineering excellence:

• Implementing best practices in project management, design control, and quality assurance across all engineering activities
• Communicating engineering plans, progress, and risks to executive leadership and key stakeholders
• Introducing "Design for Manufacturability" strategies for new products and drive process standardisation initiatives to facilitate production scale up

About you:

• Master's degree and/or Ph.D. in physics, engineering or a related technical field
• 10+ years of engineering leadership experience in high-tech industries such as semiconductors, advanced instrumentation, or quantum technologies
• Proven experience in systems engineering of highly complex, large-scale technologies (e.g.quantum computers, spacecraft, aircraft, or multidisciplinary hardware systems)
• Familiarity with Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE), experience with an MBSE software platform and knowledge of system modelling, simulations, and analysis tools
• Knowledge of quantum devices, cryogenic systems and RF/microwave systems or precision measurement tools (experience in at least one is required)
• Thorough understanding of semiconductor design, integration & process modules including e-beam lithography, dry etch, wet etch, chemical vapour deposition (CVD), sputtering, and atomic layer deposition (ALD)
• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and integrating mechanical, electrical, and software systems
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Fluency in English is mandatory, fluency in French is preferred

You should join us if...

You like hands-on work and technology

You want to contribute to achieving landmark results in quantum computing, making a difference in the emerging quantum technologies

You want to work within a 60-people team with various backgrounds in nanofabrication, quantum electronics, and carbon nanotube science to create a revolutionary quantum computing processor

You want to thrive in an exceptional scientific environment with several industrial and academic partners

You share our values (excellence, scientific integrity, diversity, curiosity, and care) and want to help us define our product-focused culture and ambition to accelerate.

C12 encourages all who feel qualified to apply. Recruitment decisions are based solely on qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience.
Applications from women are particularly welcomed
.