View job here

Join Our Mission to Advance Quantum Communication in Space 

 

At Quantum Technology Laboratories GmbH (qtlabs), we are at the forefront of innovation in optical and quantum-based communication technologies. Our team develops cutting-edge quantum key distribution (QKD) systems and optoelectronic solutions for space and terrestrial applications. Based in Vienna, our center of excellence drives technological advancements that secures communication around the world. 

Quantum Technology Laboratories GmbH is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees! 

Build and defend the IT backbone of a growing deep-tech scale-up.  

The Role 

 

We are looking for a technically strong, pragmatic and resilient Head of Technology Operations & Security. You will design, implement, operate and continuously improve the IT and security backbone of a fast-growing, security-critical organization.  

You will lead a small internal IT team and ensure that operational IT, security requirements and business priorities are aligned. The role sits at the intersection of operational IT execution and strategic governance requirements, translating security, compliance and management objectives into practical, scalable and secure IT operations while providing operational leadership and maintaining a hands-on understanding of the systems you are responsible for.  

This role combines operational IT leadership with strong technical credibility. You are expected to lead and structure the IT function while remaining close enough to operations to make pragmatic, technically well-informed decisions. 

Key Responsibility 

 You report directly to management and work closely with our external CISO and other technical leaders. You are accountable for: 

  • A reliable, secure cloud-first IT environment with only necessary on-prem components
  • Clear IT governance, processes and enforceable standards
  • Ensuring that security policies and governance requirements (e.g. ISMS) are understood, implemented and lived across the organization
  • Translating CISO-defined security and compliance requirements into practical operational implementation within IT
  • Prioritization, workload management and operational excellence under limited resources
  • IT budget ownership (planning, prioritization, cost control, supplier management)
  • Leading a small team (currently 2 FTE) and coordinating an external 1st-level service provider
  • A pragmatic mid-term roadmap aligned with growth, risk and compliance needs  

Core Responsibilities  

  • Leadership & Team Development
  • Operational Ownership (Hands-on)
  • Governance, Processes & Documentation
  • Security, Compliance & ISMS Enablement
  • Service Delivery & First-Level Support Oversight
  • Resilience & Stakeholder Management
  • Translation of business, governance and security requirements into operational IT-structures 

Your Profile  

 

You are technically credible, structured and ownership-driven able to lead, prioritize and enforce standards in a fast-growing environment. 

  • Proven experience leading and developing a small IT/Infrastructure team
  • Experience owning/steering an IT budget and supplier landscape
  • Strong understanding of IT governance + ITIL-aligned service management (Incident/Problem/Change/Request/Access/Asset)
  • Microsoft 365 expertise and identity/endpoint fundamentals, comfortable in Apple environments
  • Incident ownership experience incl. root cause analysis and improvement measures
  • Solid understanding of networks (topologies, routing, tunneling/VPN)
  • Solid Linux administration understanding (operations, patching, hardening), including environments used in specialized technical or IKT systems
  • Pragmatic stakeholder communication; calm under pressure
  • Mindset for cloud-first architectures with minimal necessary on-prem footprint 

Nice-to-Have:  

  • Automation (PowerShell/Bash), scripting mindset
  • Configuration management (Ansible/Puppet)
  • Cloud ops experience (e.g., Hetzner or similar providers)
  • Docker / modern deployment patterns
  • Exposure to ISO 27001, NIS2, DORA (implementation perspective)
  • Site-to-Site VPN, 802.1X, segmentation concepts
  • SIEM/EDR familiarity (e.g., Microsoft Defender/Sentinel) 

What we offer

  • A rare opportunity to build and shape the IT backbone of a growing deep-tech scale-up
  • Direct reporting line to management
  • Real ownership and autonomy
  • A highly competent, engineering-driven environment
  • Security-critical technology with real-world impact
  • Competitive compensation (~€90k depending on experience)
  • Modern workspace, up to 20% home office
  • Balanced work-life integration for our employees
  • Attractive workplace with excellent infrastructure at Wienerberg
  • Great Italian espresso
  • Humorous and friendly work atmosphere 

The minimum gross salary for this position is € 4.208,81 per month (based on full-time employment) in accordance with the collective agreement. However, there is a willingness to offer a higher salary depending on experience and qualifications. 

Quantum Technology Laboratories GmbH is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees! 

We are engineers, scientists and builders. We respect substance over titles.  

If you want to build and defend something meaningful and do it properly, we would like to speak with you. 

Apply now and help shape the future of secure global communication.