Innovation Manager – Quantum Internet

Are you passionate about turning cutting-edge research into real-world technological advancements? Do you excel at building bridges between scientific research and innovation? We are seeking a passionate Innovation Manager with some experience in deep tech innovation / business development to join our team and help drive the next generation of network technologies – quantum internet!

In this unique role, you will be working at QuTech, dedicating all your efforts to QIA, the Quantum Internet Alliance, a collaboration involving more than 40 industrial and academic organizations across Europe.

QIA’s mission is to build a global Quantum Internet by developing a full-stack prototype quantum internet network that validates all key subsystems. As a pioneering community dedicated to advancing a groundbreaking technology, QIA’s ambition extends beyond scientific leadership. The aim is to build an innovative European Quantum Internet ecosystem, capable of scaling all sub-systems to achieve world-leading European technology. In this regard QIA has launched the world’s first global quantum internet technology forum (QIATF) and is expanding its ecosystem further.

As Innovation Manager, you will support QuTech’ s Quantum Internet team and the QIA consortium in bringing technological advancements closer to real-world applications. You will identify innovation opportunities and help building strategies that connect research outcomes with future societal and industrial needs. Finally, you will grow collaborations with industry, academia, and key partners through QIATF.

This is a growth-oriented role, ideal for someone with (early) experience in deep tech innovation, technology transfer, or project support who is eager to develop into a quantum technologies senior innovation or business development career path.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the translation of QIA’s technological results from lab to potential real-world applications.
• Assist in identifying innovations with commercial and/or societal potential.
• Contribute to IP awareness, documentation, and early-stage capture in collaboration with researchers.
• Perform market and technology landscape scanning to monitor trends and competitors in relevant areas for QIA.
• Support the development of innovation and exploitation plans within the QIA programme.
• Maintain regular contact with QIA’s technical teams to stay updated on progress and emerging opportunities.
• Contribute to building and maintaining a consolidated innovation strategy for the consortium together with the QIA Innovation Team.
• Manage the QIATF membership and the QIA Technology Forum Special Interest Groups (SIGs).
• Expand QIATF by setting up new Special Interest Groups (SIGs) on relevant topics (e.g., network architecture, societal impacts and other relevant pre-standardization topics).
• Monitor and report on the impact of the QIATF activities to continuously improve the strategies in alignment with QIA vision and QIA’s technical teams.

Requirements

Three or more years of experience in innovation management/support, project management /coordination, or technology transfer, preferably in a technical or academic setting.

• Experience with multi-stakeholder collaboration.
• Familiarity with large multi-actor and multidisciplinary R&D projects; experience with EU projects is a plus.
• Background or interest in engineering, computer science, or physics, with curiosity for quantum technologies is highly desired.
• Excellent networker, capable of maintaining long-term relationships and establishing new ones.
• Strong organizational and coordination skills, with enthusiasm for connecting science with innovation.
• Curious, proactive, and willing to learn.
• Strong communication skills in written and spoken English.

Dutch citizenship or a European working permit is required to apply

TU Delft

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

QuTech

At QuTech, we work on radically new technologies with world-changing potential. Our mission: to develop scalable prototypes of a quantum computer and a quantum internet by integrating world-class research and groundbreaking innovation. Through excellence, relevance, and leadership, we cultivate a vibrant quantum technology ecosystem. Together, we are creating the quantum future, because we believe that quantum technologies can be a game changer in many societal and economic sectors, including health, agriculture and safety.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 1 year Temporarily with a posibility for extension
• A job of 38 hours per week.
• A salary based on Scale 11 of the CAO for Dutch Universities with a salary between €4728 – €6433 gross per month based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%. The goal being to start on the lower side of the scale and to grow up every year.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 21 September 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV
• Motivational letter

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.