Head of IT

LOCATION: Dublin, Ireland (Hybrid)

We’re hiring a Head of IT to own and scale our internal IT, cyber security, and compliance foundations as we grow.

This is a hands-on leadership role in a deep-tech engineering environment: you’ll build a secure, reliable, and well-governed IT stack that supports fast iteration, high-performance compute needs, and a mixed estate of cloud + on-prem + lab/engineering infrastructure. You’ll define the operating model, implement security controls and processes, manage key vendors/MSSPs, and lead incident response—while keeping the company productive and moving quickly.

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Main Duties and Responsibilities

Build and execute a scalable IT & security roadmap aligned to company growth, product, and engineering needs.
Own the company’s cybersecurity program: policies, controls, risk register, and continuous improvement.
Implement and manage identity and access management (SSO, MFA, RBAC, joiner/mover/leaver) across all systems.
Establish endpoint, network, and cloud security standards (EDR, patching, encryption, vulnerability management, logging).
Lead security incident response planning, tabletop exercises, playbooks, and post-incident remediation.
Define and run IT service management (ticketing, SLAs, asset lifecycle, procurement, device standards, knowledge base).
Own business continuity / disaster recovery and backup strategy (including recovery testing and auditability).
Partner with Engineering/IT stakeholders on secure lab/engineering environments (segmented networks, data handling, tool access).
Manage third-party risk and vendor relationships (MSP/MSSP, SaaS, hardware suppliers), including security reviews and contracts.
Support audits and customer/partner due diligence (e.g., ISO 27001/SOC 2 readiness), ensuring evidence collection and control ownership.

Experience and Qualifications

7+ years in IT / infrastructure / security roles, with ownership of IT operations in a scaling environment (startup/scale-up preferred).
Demonstrated experience standing up security processes from scratch (policies, controls, governance) in a fast-moving org.
Strong working knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) and modern SaaS ecosystems, with security-by-design mindset.
Hands-on capability across identity (SSO/MFA), endpoint management, networking, and security tooling (EDR, SIEM/logging).
Experience operating in engineering-heavy environments (R&D, hardware, lab systems, HPC/compute, mixed OS/toolchains).
Proven ability to drive risk-based decision making and communicate trade-offs clearly to execs and technical teams.
Track record managing vendors/outsourcers/MSP/MSSP and holding them accountable to measurable outcomes.
Familiarity with security frameworks (ISO 27001, SOC 2, NIST/CSF, CIS Controls) and audit/evidence practices.
Experience with compliance and data protection expectations (e.g., GDPR), and building pragmatic controls without slowing teams down.
Leadership experience (direct or matrix) with the ability to coach, prioritize, and scale IT support as headcount grows.

If you are a highly motivated and experienced Head of IT looking for a new, challenging and very rewarding role, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

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Why Join Equal1

At Equal1, you’ll be at the forefront of quantum computing innovation—working alongside world-class scientists and engineers to shape the future of this transformative technology. Your work will have real impact, contributing to groundbreaking research and the advancement of unified quantum-classical computing. You’ll thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative startup environment that values curiosity, creativity, and continuous learning. With opportunities to engage in cutting-edge projects, partner globally across academia and industry, and grow both personally and professionally, Equal1 offers a uniquely rewarding place to do meaningful, world-changing work.