Director — Technology, Key Management

Company Overview

QNu Labs is India's first and only quantum cryptography company, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Bengaluru. Incubated at IIT-Madras, QNu has evolved into a globally recognised deep-tech product company, pioneering commercially viable quantum-safe cybersecurity solutions at a time when quantum computing threatens the foundations of classical encryption. QNu's flagship QShield platform spans Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG), Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), Quantum-Safe VPN (QVPN), and Quantum Key Management Systems (QKMS). These products protect critical infrastructure across defence, finance, telecom, and healthcare — with deployments including India's first 500 km+ quantum-secure network for the Indian Army and Navy.

• Raised $22.3M across 13 rounds, including a Series A led by the National Quantum Mission (Government of India).
• Ranked #1 among 64 active global competitors in the quantum cryptography space.
• Subsidiary in Massachusetts, USA, driving international expansion.
• Targeting ~$1B valuation; IPO-bound within 2–3 years.
• ~100 patents targeted by year-end, expanding into AI, secure communications, and hardware security.

Clients include the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and marquee enterprises. Partners include VIAVI Solutions, BISAG-N, and leading academic institutions.

Job Summary

The Director of Technology will lead the technology roadmap, architecture, and design for QNu Labs' Key Management product line. This individual technology leadership role involves owning the development of the Quantum Key Management System (QKMS) and the upcoming Hardware Security Module (HSM) products, transitioning them into cloud-native, enterprise-grade solutions. Responsibilities include direct oversight of product development, representation of QNu Labs in customer and industry engagements, and collaboration with cryptography and quantum physics teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the technology roadmap, architecture, and high-level design for the Key Management product line.
• Drive the development of QKMS and the upcoming HSM product end-to-end.
• Design scalable, cloud-native key management infrastructure on private and public clouds.
• Set and maintain the highest standards of implementation; contribute directly to critical modules.
• Represent QNu Labs at customer engagements, standards bodies, and industry events as the technical expert.
• Collaborate with quantum physics and cryptography teams to integrate QKD-generated keys into the KMS/HSM stack.
• Contribute to patent filings and technical publications.

Qualifications

• Experience: 12+ years of strong development, design, and architecture experience in Hardware Security Module (HSM) and/or Key Management System (KMS).
• Technical Skills: Deep understanding of HSM internals: firmware, PKCS#11, cryptographic APIs, tamper-resistant hardware design.
• Protocols and Standards: Experience with key management protocols and standards such as KMIP, PKCS#11, Java Cryptography Extension (JCE), and REST-based KMS APIs.
• Programming Language: Strong Java Spring Boot development experience; familiarity with cloud-native architectures (Kubernetes, microservices).
• Infrastructure Deployment: Experience with deployment on private and public cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP, on-prem data centres).
• Preferred Background: Background with companies like Thales, Utimaco, Entrust, nCipher, IBM Security, or similar HSM/KMS product companies.
• Hands-on Ability: Ability to own architecture and also contribute hands-on to implementation at critical junctures.
• Quantum Cryptography Knowledge: Knowledge of quantum cryptography (QKD, PQC) is a strong plus.

Preferred Skills

• Previous experience in leading technology-driven organizations in cybersecurity.
• Strong leadership and team collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across functions.
• Familiarity with emerging trends and advancements in quantum computing and cybersecurity.

Experience

• A minimum of 12 years in technology roles, with significant experience in hardware security and key management systems.

Environment

• The role is based in Bangalore, offering a hybrid work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation within a tight-knit, world-class technical team.

Salary

• Not specified.

Growth Opportunities

• This role presents a unique technological challenge, with the opportunity to lead the development of unprecedented quantum-native HSM/KMS products, influencing the evolution of cybersecurity solutions.

Benefits

• Not specified.