Responsibilities:
Project Controls (Core Focus)
Own and maintain project/build schedules covering hardware and R&D milestones.
Track spend against budget across project workstreams; flag variances and help prepare forecasts.
Prepare weekly/monthly status reports on schedule progress, budget position, and key risks for leadership.
Maintain the project risk and issue log, and follow up on action items across teams.
Support change control — logging and tracking scope, schedule, or budget changes as projects evolve.
Build and maintain dashboards (Excel, Power BI a plus) that give a clear, single view of schedule and cost status.
Supply Chain Awareness (Supporting, Not Primary)
Monitor delivery status of critical long-lead components and contracted work (cryogenics, optics, lasers, RF electronics) as an input to the schedule — not managing procurement itself.
Flag to the procurement team when a part's status puts a milestone at risk, and reflect that in your reporting.
Coordinate with procurement/lab teams to keep schedule data accurate, without owning vendor relationships, RFQs, or purchase orders.
Cross-functional Coordination
Act as the point person for "where do things stand" across schedule, budget, and key dependencies — pulling information from hardware leads, program managers, and procurement into one coherent picture.
Support project audits, close-out documentation, and lessons-learned tracking.
Qualifications:
Essential
1–3 years of experience in project coordination, project controls, program/business operations, or a related analytical role — internships and adjacent experience count.
Degree in Engineering, Physics, Business, Project Management, or related field (or equivalent practical experience).
Strong Excel/Google Sheets skills; comfortable building and maintaining schedules, trackers, and dashboards; advanced Excel/Power BI advantageous.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable pulling status updates from multiple people and systems.
Clear written and verbal communication — you'll be reporting schedule and budget status to technical and leadership audiences alike.
Desirable
Exposure to hardware, lab, or fab environments (physics, optics, cryogenics, semiconductor, or similar deep-tech programs).
Formal project management qualification
Exposure to procurement or supply chain coordination (including buy, ally, DIY decisions) is a plus, but not a requirement.
Interest in quantum computing or emerging hardware technology.
Remuneration*:
Total salary and bonus up to: £46,667 to £60,000
Base salary: £40,000 to £51,429
Company Milestone Bonus Scheme: up to £8,571 (2x £4,286 payments).
Full earnings pension contribution with
Employer/employee/relief at source contribution – 3%/4%/1%
Other Benefits:
Private Medical Insurance, Group Life Insurance & Employee Assistance Programme.
26 Days of holiday + Public holidays.
Flexibility around core hours.
Regular company outings, team building and training opportunities.
Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice.
Encouraged learning to continue professional development.
*Renumeration range reflect both roles, PCO range £40k-£50k & PCM range £50-£60k.
Skills Required
- 1-3 years of experience in project coordination, project controls, program or business operations, or a related analytical role; internships and adjacent experience count.
- Degree in Engineering, Physics, Business, Project Management, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Strong Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets skills.
- Ability to build and maintain project schedules, trackers, and dashboards.
- Strong organizational and attention-to-detail skills.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills for technical and leadership audiences.
- Advanced Excel or Power BI experience.
- Exposure to hardware, laboratory, fabrication, physics, optics, cryogenics, semiconductor, or similar deep-tech environments.
- Formal project management qualification.
- Exposure to procurement or supply chain coordination.
- Interest in quantum computing or emerging hardware technology.
What We Do
Aquark Technologies builds and delivers the world's smallest and most deployable cold atom quantum hardware to enhance navigation, communications, security, and our understanding of the world around us. Established in 2021, Southampton, UK, and based on more than 16 years of innovation, we are experts in miniaturising deployable sensing & timing technologies based on cold atoms. Building on deep knowledge in quantum, vacuum engineering, microfabrication and photonics, we're dedicated to making breakthrough quantum technology that is affordable and easy to use available today.
