Senior Director, U.S. National Security Partnerships

PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems. 

Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries. 

Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries—we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. 

In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale. 

PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact. 

Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real. 

Come join us. 

Job Summary:

The Senior Director, U.S. National Security Partnerships, will lead PsiQuantum’s efforts to position the company for sustained collaboration with the Department of War (DoW), the Intelligence Community (IC), and private sector companies in the national security ecosystem.

To advance these objectives, this executive will have the ability to identify, shape, and execute high-value collaborations that advance PsiQuantum’s national security partnerships, enhance PsiQuantum’s reputation as a trusted leader in fault-tolerant quantum computing, and align with the company’s long-term business objectives.

This role includes the primary company responsibility for building and maintaining relationships with senior national security agency officials and teams. Success in this position requires a deep understanding of how best to engage policy officials, military services, acquisition organizations, operational commands, and research laboratories to translate PsiQuantum’s fault-tolerant quantum computing capabilities into long-term partnerships that support America’s national security. 

The executive will serve as a trusted advisor to PsiQuantum’s leadership on government acquisition strategy, working closely with the engineering, product, finance, legal, contracts, communications, and government affairs teams. Effective collaboration with internal teams to translate complex frontier technologies into operational national security applications is critical to the success of this role.

Responsibilities:

• Lead PsiQuantum’s strategy and execution efforts with DoW and IC stakeholders, as well as generate revenue opportunities and partnerships with private sector stakeholders in the national security ecosystem.
• Identify, shape, and secure strategic funding opportunities, including award contracts and other collaborative vehicles aligned with PsiQuantum’s technological roadmap and business objectives.
• Build, qualify, and manage a pipeline of funding opportunities, including contract awards, by clearly articulating PsiQuantum’s approach and the advantage of fault-tolerant quantum computing.
• Develop and maintain relationships with critical U.S. Government stakeholders and partner companies in the national security space.
• Understand and communicate PsiQuantum’s value to customers and partners, as well as current and future products and capabilities, against the backdrop of the competitive landscape in quantum computing.
• Work across PsiQuantum’s engineering, applications, solutions, product, and public sector teams to translate external R&D opportunities into actionable plans.
• Provide strategic input to PsiQuantum internal teams based on relationships and insights from the U.S. Government and private sector partners in the national security ecosystem.
• Maintain disciplined pipeline forecasting, opportunity and partnership prioritization, and internal reporting.  

Experience/Qualifications:

Required:

• Minimum of 7-10 years of relevant government experience with acquisition, requirements development, major defense program management, or budgeting with U.S. national security agencies.
• Knowledge of and experience working with DoW research laboratories, science and technology organizations, Program Executive Offices, Major Defense Acquisition Programs, or other stakeholder organizations.
• Experience in the technical, programmatic, and operational challenges of developing, deploying, and sustaining complex technologies, hardware and software.
• Demonstrated success identifying, shaping, and winning government-funded programs or strategic partnerships.
• Ability to identify, establish, and leverage key relationships with senior level officials and private sector stakeholders within the national security ecosystem.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience presenting to senior executives and customers; ability to translate complex topics, convince, and inspire through the written and spoken word.
• Capable of succeeding in a fast-paced, dynamic, and creative environment.
• Ability to travel required.
• Preferred active TS/SCI Clearance. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding of U.S. Government approach and adoption of frontier technologies. 
• Demonstrated performance of successfully working across functions for shared objectives.
• Understanding semiconductors, chemistry, physics, and/or quantum technologies is valued.
• Experience working within an U.S. Government acquisition organization, DoW military laboratories, or equivalent experience in the private sector collaborating with those organizations.
• Highly self-directed, with the ability to operate independently and create structure, priorities, and momentum in an emerging technology space.

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to recruiting@psiquantum.com.

We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.

Base pay is one part of the total compensation package. Full-time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Our compensation ranges reflect the cost of labor across multiple U.S. geographic markets, and we pay based on defined geographic zones. This position may be filled within one of the following U.S. geographic zones, each with its own salary range.

Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, business needs, and internal equity. Your recruiter can share more details about the salary range applicable to your location during the hiring process.  

• Zone 1 - Bay Area and NYC 

• Zone 2 - Examples include Los Angeles and Washington DC 

• Zone 3 - Examples include Austin, Chicago, and Sacramento 

• Zone 4 - Examples include Nashville and Phoenix/Tempe and many remote locations 

This position includes the following benefits: competitive health coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) with company match, equity grants, access to financial wellness tools and planning resources, wellness benefits, family support programs, life and disability insurance, paid leave programs, company-designated paid holidays, discretionary time off (DTO), and an end-of-year company shutdown. Some of these benefits have eligibility requirements and may vary based on location, role, or employment status. Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company. 

The estimated annual base salary range for this role is: 

Zone 1$240,300—$282,400 USDZone 2$216,300—$254,200 USDZone 3$192,300—$225,900 USDZone 4$168,300—$197,700 USD