Vertical Sales Lead, Labs & Universities

Job Description

Job Title: Vertical Sales Lead, Research Labs & Universities. Location: Remote, United States (Americas region)

Responsibilities:

• Execute regional sales strategy for research labs and universities.
• Promote quantum computing solutions including SaaS and cloud offerings.
• Communicate product capabilities to researchers, faculty, students, and grant organizations.
• Identify and pursue quantum-related research and education opportunities.

Team Leadership

• Build and lead a high-performing account and sales team.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to pursue new accounts and expand existing ones.
• Mentor team members and drive performance excellence.

Market Research and Strategy

• Analyze research and academic landscape for quantum computing use cases.
• Identify target institutions, researchers, and funding bodies.
• Define opportunities where quantum computing can deliver value.

Relationship Building

• Develop strong relationships with academic decision-makers and influencers.
• Engage faculty, researchers, and grant agencies to align needs with solutions.
• Maintain long-term strategic partnerships in the research ecosystem.

Pipeline Development

• Drive demand generation campaigns with marketing teams.
• Represent the company at academic conferences, seminars, and industry events.
• Qualify leads and develop proposals for new opportunities.

Proposals and Deal Management

• Lead RFI and RFP responses and manage proposal lifecycle.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams for business case development.
• Negotiate contracts covering pricing, legal, and procurement terms.
• Support vendor onboarding and compliance processes.

Customer Success

• Align products and services with customer research and education needs.
• Develop tailored value propositions for academic institutions.
• Ensure long-term customer satisfaction and adoption.

Performance Targets

• Achieve and exceed sales quotas.
• Accurately forecast bookings and revenue growth.
• Expand pipeline and close high-value enterprise deals.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Computer Science, STEM, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in enterprise SaaS or data-driven solutions sales.
• Proven track record in research labs and universities sector.
• Experience growing revenue to $5M+ annually.
• Strong leadership in managing cross-functional sales teams.
• Excellent communication and technical presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% or more, including international travel.

Preferred:

• Strong network within research labs and academic institutions.
• Experience in data analytics, data science, or quantum-related enterprise solutions.
• Background in value-based or solution-based selling.
• Experience working with grants, research funding bodies, or academic procurement systems.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Salary range: $156,800 to $291,200 per year (Remote, USA).
• Equity and company ownership opportunities.
• Performance-based bonus structure.
• Comprehensive benefits package including healthcare and wellness support.
• Career growth in a leading quantum computing company;
• Access to advanced quantum computing systems and research environments.
• Inclusive and diverse workplace culture focused on innovation and learning.

Other Information:

• Remote position based in the United States (Americas region focus).
• No third-party candidates accepted.
• Equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion;
• Candidates must align with travel requirements and senior-level sales leadership expectations.
• Hiring process includes evaluation of leadership ability, sales strategy, and domain expertise.