People and Culture Manager (f/m/d)

As our People & Culture Manager (f/m/d), you will take responsibility for the People topics of one of QD’s key departments and act as their dedicated People Business Partner.

Working closely with our Head of Product Development, you will be the go-to People contact for managers and employees – from workforce planning and hiring to onboarding, development, performance, feedback, and offboarding.

• A machine that catches what others miss – in milliseconds.
• Physics, data, and engineering are working hand in hand to build tools that matter.
• An international team who loves solving hard problems and where knowledge flows fast.

• You'll get to build a company together with a brilliant and welcoming team on a product that has never been done before.
• Our technology is the cutting edge of tomorrow, starting today and not in 10 years.
• You will work directly with major semiconductor companies from Day 1.
• You'll get virtual shares and act on behalf of the entire company, beyond just your own team.
• You’ll be part of a high-growth company backed by top-tier investors.

• Be the main People contact for our Product Development department and build trusted relationships with managers and employees.
• Partner closely with the Head of Product Development on hiring needs, team development, performance, and day-to-day People topics.
• Coach and guide managers on feedback, communication, employee development, and challenging situations.
• Bring a thoughtful People perspective to decisions while understanding the needs and priorities of the business.

Workforce Planning & Hiring

• Coordinate headcount planning and personnel budgeting together with the department lead, People team, and Finance.
• Translate upcoming team needs into hiring plans and manage recruitment processes from role definition through interviews, selection, and offers.
• Help us attract strong candidates, particularly for technical and specialized positions.
• Own a professional and personal candidate experience, ensuring new colleagues get off to a strong start at QD.

Performance, Feedback & Development

• Coordinate performance and feedback cycles for your department and keep them running effectively.
• Guide managers in preparing and conducting meaningful feedback, development, and performance conversations.
• Help employees and managers navigate development opportunities and performance challenges.
• Handle difficult conversations with empathy, clarity, and good judgement, involving senior People or Legal support when appropriate.

Employee Lifecycle & People Operations

• Take responsibility for People topics throughout the employee lifecycle – from onboarding and contractual changes to development and offboarding.
• Coordinate contracts, documentation, employee changes, and other People matters with Finance, Legal, Administration, and relevant external partners.
• Handle common employee relations topics independently and recognise when specialist or senior input is needed.
• Ensure People processes are reliable and well organised and provide employees with a professional experience.

Culture & Collaboration

• Listen closely to managers and employees, identify recurring challenges, and turn them into practical improvements.
• Bring creative ideas for strengthening collaboration, engagement, feedback, and team culture at QD.
• Help improve People processes as the company grows, balancing structure with the pragmatism of a startup.
• Contribute to broader People & Culture initiatives alongside your responsibility for Product Development.

• 3+ years of full-time professional experience in People & Culture, HR, or a comparable generalist role, including hands-on experience partnering with managers on employee and organisational topics.
• Experience across several parts of the employee lifecycle, such as recruiting, onboarding, employee development, performance management, and People Operations.
• Fluent German and English, with the confidence to handle nuanced employee and management conversations in both languages.
• Working knowledge of German employment practices and confidence handling common employee matters, while knowing when to involve Legal or senior People support.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust with different personalities and professional backgrounds.
• An empathetic and approachable personality combined with the confidence to address difficult topics when needed.
• A proactive, energetic, and hands-on way of working – you enjoy taking responsibility and making things happen.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to keep several People topics moving at the same time.
• A creative and pragmatic mindset – you like improving how things are done without adding unnecessary processes.
• Experience in a hardware, deep-tech, engineering, semiconductor, manufacturing, or startup/scale-up environment is a strong plus.
• Experience recruiting technical or highly specialised profiles is a plus.

• Mission: At QD, we’re driven by more than just building great products – we aim to make a lasting difference. Joining us means contributing to meaningful work that goes beyond business as usual.
• Impact & growth: This is an exciting stage of our journey, and your voice matters. You’ll have the chance to shape our culture, influence key decisions, and grow alongside a company that’s scaling fast.
• Health & fitness: With a company-sponsored Wellpass membership, you’ll have access to countless gyms, classes, and wellness offers across Germany to stay healthy and active.
• Team & culture: We believe the best ideas come when we connect outside the office. From regular off-sites to team events, you’ll be part of a collaborative and supportive environment.
• Well-being & balance: We value rest and recovery. That’s why you’ll enjoy 30 vacation days plus public holidays to recharge and return inspired.
• Learning & development: Your growth is our priority. We provide an annual budget dedicated to courses, conferences, or any resources that help you expand your skills.
• Ownership & participation: As part of our equity program, you’ll directly share in our success and the value we create together.