‘Absurd’: Government seeks quantum tech chief – no experience necessaryThe government committed £2bn to quantum earlier this yearThe government is recruiting a senior official to oversee billions of pounds of quantum investment despite saying candidates do not need any background in the technology. Experience working in science, technology or industrial policy is also listed as desirable rather than essential. “The person in charge of purchasing quantum computers is not expected to have a background in quantum,” he said. The government committed £2bn to quantum earlier this year, including £1.2bn towards buying large-scale quantum computers through its ProQure programme. Quantum computers use the behaviour of particles at very small scales to tackle some calculations that conventional computers struggle to perform.