The future of AI computing is light, not electrons.

Q.ANT is building photonic processing systems that compute with light – delivering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to transistor-based architectures for next-generation AI and HPC applications.

Groundbreaking technology alone does not create market leadership. It must be strategically protected, defensible, and positioned to secure long-term freedom to operate and technological dominance.

As our Senior Patent Manager (m/f/d), your mission is to transform innovation into strategic power. You ensure that breakthroughs in photonic processors are systematically identified, effectively protected, and leveraged to secure sustainable competitive advantage. By architecting a robust intellectual property framework, you convert technological excellence into long-term business value, enhance investor confidence, and reinforce the company’s position as a market leader.

Your Responsibilities:

• Strategic IP Architecture: Develop and evolve a forward-looking patent strategy that synchronizes Q.ANT’s breakthroughs with global businessobjectivesfor a sustainable competitive advantage.
• Innovation Extraction: Partner with R&D and Executive Leadership to identify and prioritize patentable breakthroughs, transforming deep-tech into high-value, enforceable global assets.
• Portfolio Mastery: Take full ownership of the international patent lifecycle - from disclosure to enforcement - ensuring a robust and commercially dominant IP portfolio (EP, US, PCT).
• FTO Governance: Secure market power through proactive Freedom-to-Operate analyses and competitive monitoring, neutralizing IP risks before they impact the technology roadmap.
• Investor Readiness: Deliver sophisticated IP reporting and due diligence, providing transparency and actionable insights for investors, partners, and the C-suite.
• Institutional IP Culture: Foster high-performance IP awareness within technical teams to accelerate the transition from lab invention to protected corporate asset.

• Deep-Tech Foundation: University degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or Photonics, enabling you to engage with breakthrough science at its most granular level.
• Strategic IP Expertise: 5+ years in patent management or a top-tier law firm, with a proventrack recordin navigating complex international patent systems.
• Technological Foresight: Nuanced understanding of deep-tech (ideally photonics/semiconductors) to anticipate market shifts and translate technical concepts into IP value.
• Analytical Rigor: Exceptional skill in FTO and competitive mapping, treating risk management as a strategic lever for market dominance.
• Autonomous Resilience: Self-driven operator who thrives in high-complexity environments, maintaininga result-oriented focus even under intense pressure.
• Communication Excellence: Sophisticated verbal and written English skills, bridging the gap between technical experts and executive stakeholders (German is a plus).

• We hire for attitude and train for skills.
• We encourage self responsibility and accelerate professional development.
• We move fast and encourage experimentation.
• You have the opportunity to be part of developing breakthrough photonic computing technology and have a lasting impact on the future of computing.
• You can be part of a passionate international, highly skilled cross functional team.
• You will have access to the founders of the company.

Who we are and what we do

Q.ANT is a deep-tech scale-up developing photonic processing solutions that compute natively with light and deliver a scalable alternative to transistor-based systems. The analog co-processors are optimised for complex computations and enable energy-efficient performance for next-generation AI and HPC applications. In collaboration with the Institute for Microelectronics Stuttgart IMS CHIPS, Q.ANT operates its own pilot line for photonic chips, based on the material system Thin-Film Lithium Niobate TFLN. Q.ANT was founded by Michael Förtsch in 2018 and is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.