The Program Coordinator – Consortium and Pilot Projects is responsible for the effective administration and coordination of collaborative initiatives that Applied Quantum's "Quantum Technology Transfer Office (TTO)" service undertakes with multiple partner organizations.
This role focuses on multi-institution programs such as international research consortia, joint development projects, and pilot deployments of quantum technologies in real-world settings.
The Program Coordinator ensures that these complex projects – often involving universities, corporate partners, government agencies, and spin-outs – are well-organized, stay on schedule, and meet their objectives. By handling the logistical and operational aspects, this role allows technical and strategic teams to concentrate on content while ensuring alignment with the project’s goals and compliance requirements.
The coordinator acts as a central point of contact for all participants, facilitating communication and problem-solving in a professional manner. Given Quantum TTO’s global and institutional focus, the Program Coordinator pays special attention to maintaining strong relationships with all consortium members and upholding the collaborative spirit essential for success.
About Applied Quantum
Applied Quantum is the world’s first professional services firm dedicated exclusively to quantum technologies - offering end-to-end solutions. We partner with enterprises, research institutions, and government agencies to deliver cutting-edge consulting, product development, and implementation services that harness the transformative power of quantum innovations. Our team of experts - spanning physics, engineering, cybersecurity, and business strategy - collaborates to bridge the gap between theoretical breakthroughs and real-world applications.
About Quantum TTO
Quantum TTO (Technology Transfer Office) is an Applied Quantum specialized team focused on commercializing quantum research for global markets. This role would be operating within the Quantum TTO team. We expedite the journey from laboratory discoveries to fully realized products and solutions, forging strategic alliances with universities, startups, and industry leaders. Our mission is to accelerate adoption of quantum technologies - whether in computing, cryptography, sensing, or secure communications - and ensure that groundbreaking innovations make the leap into widespread use. By offering expert guidance in intellectual property, licensing, funding opportunities, and market strategy, Quantum TTO serves as the catalyst that helps visionary ideas reach their maximum commercial potential.
Key Responsibilities
- Project Planning and Setup: Work with the Director of Strategic Partnerships and project leaders to establish clear project plans for each consortium or pilot initiative. Define scope, objectives, deliverables, and success metrics in consultation with all partners. Develop detailed work plans, timelines, and responsibility matrices (who is doing what) to launch the program effectively. Ensure that roles of different institutions (university labs, industry partners, etc.) are clearly delineated and understood.
- Day-to-Day Coordination: Serve as the daily point of coordination for ongoing consortium projects. Organize regular check-in meetings or conference calls among participants; prepare agendas and document minutes and action items. Track progress on tasks and milestones across the various organizations, sending gentle reminders or follow-ups to keep everyone on schedule. Update project management tools or dashboards to reflect the current status of activities.
- Communication Facilitation: Maintain open and efficient communication channels among all stakeholders. This includes managing group communications (email updates, shared collaboration platforms) and ensuring that any issues, changes, or important information are disseminated promptly to all partners. Translate between technical and administrative contexts as needed – for example, helping a research team articulate a delay in terms a funding partner will understand.
- Documentation and Reporting: Oversee the preparation of periodic progress reports and final reports for the consortium or pilot project. Collect inputs from all partners, compile data on achievements (e.g., research results, prototype development, test outcomes), and ensure the reports meet the requirements of any funding bodies or governance committees. Maintain thorough documentation including meeting notes, decision logs, risk registers, and change requests throughout the project lifecycle.
- Budget and Resource Management: Assist in managing project budgets and resources if applicable. This could include tracking expenditures against budget, ensuring that cost-sharing arrangements are honored by each partner, and coordinating the procurement of any shared resources or services needed for the project. Work closely with Quantum TTO’s finance team to handle any disbursement of funds (e.g., sub-awards to university partners) and financial reporting to sponsors.
- Compliance and Agreements: Ensure that the consortium or project adheres to any contractual obligations, compliance rules, or institutional policies. For example, monitor that data sharing follows any agreed protocols or NDAs, and that publications or publicity are in line with what partners have agreed. Coordinate with the IP & Licensing Specialist to manage intellectual property considerations within the project (such as tracking inventions from the consortium and initiating discussions on IP rights per the consortium agreement). If the project is funded by a government grant, ensure all sponsor guidelines for project management are followed.
- Problem Solving & Mediation: Proactively identify any operational or collaboration issues as they arise – such as delays from a partner, conflicting priorities, or technical roadblocks – and work with the parties involved to find solutions. Escalate significant issues to the project leadership or Director of Strategic Partnerships as needed, providing options for resolution. Facilitate a positive working environment, mediating minor conflicts or misunderstandings among partners by keeping everyone focused on the shared goals.
- Organizing Workshops/Events: Coordinate any consortium-related events such as kickoff workshops, interim review meetings, training sessions, or demonstration days for pilot projects. Handle logistics including scheduling, venue or virtual setup, preparation of materials, and follow-up actions. Ensure high-profile events (like a public demo of a quantum pilot or a final consortium conference) run smoothly and professionally, showcasing the collaborative effort’s outcomes effectively.
- Evaluation & Close-out: Toward the conclusion of projects, coordinate the evaluation of results against initial objectives. Organize after-action review meetings to capture lessons learned from the collaboration. Prepare summary documents that highlight accomplishments, challenges, and recommendations for future initiatives. Manage the administrative close-out process, confirming all deliverables are completed and partners have fulfilled their commitments (technical and financial).
Required Qualifications and Experience
- Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, or a related field. A Master’s degree in a relevant discipline (or PMP/Prince2 project management certification) is preferred, especially if the projects are large or complex. Educational background in science/engineering is a plus for understanding technical content, but strong project management training is most critical.
- Project Coordination Experience: 5+ years of experience in coordinating or managing projects, ideally in a research, innovation, or technology development context. Experience with multi-partner projects (for example, coordinating a research consortium, large grant project, or public-private partnership) is highly desirable. Familiarity with the academic or R&D environment and its bureaucracy will be beneficial.
- Organizational Skills: Excellent organizational and time management skills. Proven ability to handle multiple tasks and timelines concurrently. Experience implementing and using project management tools (Gantt charts, collaboration software, etc.) to keep complex projects on track. A strong attention to detail to ensure nothing falls through the cracks in documentation or scheduling.
- Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills. Capable of drafting clear emails, reports, and project documents. Effective at leading meetings and fostering productive discussions. Should be adept at communicating with diverse groups – scientists, engineers, administrators, and executives – and tailoring the level of detail accordingly.
- Understanding of Tech Development: General understanding of how technology development projects progress (e.g. stages from research to prototype to pilot) so as to better coordinate technical milestones. Specific knowledge of quantum technology is not mandatory, but the ability to grasp technical basics and terminologies (with some learning) is expected to effectively coordinate and communicate about the projects.
- Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal and intercultural skills. Comfortable working in an international setting and respectful of different institutional cultures (academic vs. corporate, etc.). A cooperative attitude and the ability to build rapport with partner representatives, understanding their needs and constraints.
- Problem-Solving Orientation: Demonstrated ability to anticipate and solve operational problems. Resourcefulness in addressing issues like schedule slippages or misunderstandings between partners. Calm under pressure and able to coordinate crisis management if a project encounters significant hurdles.
- Administrative and Financial Acumen: Basic understanding of budgeting and financial tracking in projects. Able to use spreadsheets or project finance systems to monitor expenses. Experience with grant management or reporting to funding agencies is a plus, indicating familiarity with compliance and audit requirements.
- Flexibility: Willingness to work flexible hours occasionally to accommodate international partner meetings across time zones. Ability to adapt to changes in project scope or partner dynamics and adjust plans accordingly.
Preferred Skills or Attributes
- Certification: PMP (Project Management Professional) or PRINCE2 certification, or an equivalent project management qualification, is preferred as evidence of formal training in project management best practices.
- Experience in Consortia: Direct experience coordinating large collaborative projects such as EU Horizon/Flagship projects, NSF/DOE multi-institution grants, or industry-academia consortium initiatives. This experience brings insight into the governance structures and reporting requirements typical of consortia, as well as familiarity with consortium agreements.
- Multilingual Skills: Proficiency in more than one language can be advantageous given the global nature of Quantum TTO’s partnerships. It can ease communication with certain international partners and demonstrate cultural adaptability.
- Technical Literacy: While not required to be a technologist, having a personal interest or background in STEM can help in understanding project content. If the coordinator has previous experience in a lab setting or tech company in an administrative role, it could ease communication with technical staff.
- Tool Proficiency: Familiarity with collaborative and project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Asana, Trello, or specialized research project platforms) and video conferencing solutions. Ability to champion the use of such tools among consortium members to improve transparency and coordination.
- Documentation & Quality: Skills in document design and editing – ensuring that reports and deliverables are not only content-complete but well-presented. Experience implementing quality assurance steps for project outputs can be useful (checking that deliverables meet the expected standards before submission).
- Enthusiasm for Quantum Innovation: A genuine interest in emerging technologies and the societal impact of quantum advancements. While the role is administrative, a passion for the mission can translate into proactivity and dedication, enhancing overall program execution.
Reporting Line
Reports to the Director of Strategic Partnerships at Quantum TTO. The Program Coordinator works under the strategic direction of the Director but is expected to independently manage the operational aspects of projects. This role involves regular interaction with project principal investigators or technical leads (who might be from partner organizations) and provides them with administrative support so they can focus on technical work.
Location and Travel Expectations
Remote. Travel: Periodic travel (15–25%) is anticipated. The coordinator will travel to consortium partner meetings, on-site pilot test locations, and possibly international project conferences or review meetings. Travel may cluster around key project milestones (kickoffs, mid-term reviews, final demonstrations). The role requires the ability to occasionally accommodate travel to multiple countries, reflecting the global span of many quantum initiatives.
