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Senior Program Manager (Research Programs)
D-Wave
Burnaby, CAN
Full Time
Senior
1 weeks ago
Program ManagementProject PlanningRisk ManagementStakeholder ManagementJiraConfluence
Free
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Program ManagementProject PlanningRisk Management
About the Role
D-Wave seeks a Senior Program Manager to support a portfolio of research programs in quantum computing, AI, and emerging technologies. The role involves planning, coordinating, and tracking research initiatives, managing dependencies, and collaborating with scientists and external partners.
Key Skills for This Role
Program ManagementProject PlanningRisk ManagementStakeholder ManagementJiraConfluence
Responsibilities
- Plan, coordinate, and track research and technology development programs from initiation through execution
- Partner with scientists and technical leaders to develop execution plans, resource requirements, schedules, and success criteria
- Represent business priorities in communication with researchers
- Drive delivery in environments with technical uncertainty, adapting plans while maintaining progress toward milestones
- Identify and manage risks, dependencies, resource constraints, and schedule impacts proactively
- Coordinate shared technical resources including laboratory infrastructure, testing schedules, fabrication activities, equipment utilization
- Support cross functional alignment across research, engineering, product, and operations teams
- Facilitate collaboration with external research partners including universities, national laboratories, industry collaborators
- Develop and maintain program documentation including project plans, action items, milestone tracking, decision logs, status reports, and executive updates
- Improve program management processes, tools, and reporting practices
Requirements
- 5+ years of experience supporting scientific research, advanced technology development, engineering programs, or highly technical cross functional initiatives
- Proven ability to develop project plans, coordinate stakeholders, manage execution, and deliver results in dynamic environments
- Experience managing schedules, dependencies, risks, resource planning, and competing priorities across multiple initiatives
- Strong ability to influence and work effectively with highly technical stakeholders without formal authority
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive reporting and technical documentation
- Ability to learn new technical concepts and work effectively with subject matter experts
- Experience with tools such as Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, or similar platforms
Full Job Posting
About The Role
- D Wave is seeking a Senior Program Manager to support a portfolio of research programs across the company.
- Works closely with scientists, technical leaders, and external collaborators to plan and coordinate complex research initiatives spanning quantum hardware, quantum computing, AI, ML, and other emerging technology areas.
- Primarily supports internal research programs, helping teams define plans, coordinate resources, manage dependencies, track progress, and communicate outcomes.
What You'll Do
- Plan, coordinate, and track research and technology development programs from initiation through execution.
- Partner with scientists and technical leaders to develop execution plans, resource requirements, schedules, and success criteria.
- Represent business priorities in communication with researchers.
- Drive delivery in environments with technical uncertainty.
- Identify and manage risks, dependencies, resource constraints, and schedule impacts proactively.
- Coordinate shared technical resources.
- Support cross functional alignment across research, engineering, product, and operations teams.
- Facilitate collaboration with external research partners.
- Develop and maintain program documentation.
- Prepare clear updates for stakeholders on progress, risks, decisions, and overall program health.
- Improve program management processes, tools, and reporting practices.
- Conduct post project reviews and capture lessons learned.
About You
- 5+ years of experience supporting scientific research, advanced technology development, engineering programs, or highly technical cross functional initiatives.
- Proven ability to develop project plans, coordinate stakeholders, manage execution, and deliver results in dynamic environments.
- Experience managing schedules, dependencies, risks, resource planning, and competing priorities across multiple initiatives.
- Strong ability to influence and work effectively with highly technical stakeholders without formal authority.
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive reporting and technical documentation.
- Ability to learn new technical concepts and work effectively with subject matter experts.
- Experience with tools such as Jira, Confluence, Smartsheet, or similar platforms.
- Comfort operating in evolving, research driven environments where outcomes are uncertain.
Bonus Points For
- Advanced degree in physics, math, engineering, or computer science.
- Experience in quantum computing, quantum hardware, AI/ML, advanced computing, semiconductor technologies, or related areas.
- Experience coordinating resource constrained R&D efforts.
- Experience coordinating research partnerships involving universities, national laboratories, industry consortia, etc.
- Experience supporting hardware development, experimental research, fabrication, testing, or laboratory based programs.
- Experience establishing or improving program management processes, frameworks, and reporting standards.
- PMP, Agile, Scrum, or similar certification/training.
Compensation
- Base salary for this role is targeted between CAD 105,000 CAD 144,000 CAD per year.
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