Galina Leväsluoto, Head of Talent Acquisition at IQM, shares why the people behind IQM matter just as much as the technology and what kind of people thrive here.
That is a major milestone for us and not something every company reaches, especially in a field as complex, demanding, and still-evolving as quantum computing.
When I think about how we got here, I don’t think about technology first. I think about people.
Because the honest answer is: people made this happen.
That is why, when I think about hiring at IQM, I often come back to one simple equation:
“Great candidate = ambition + problem-solving + curiosity + teamwork”
Technical expertise obviously matters. We work in one of the most advanced fields in science and technology.
But the people who thrive here bring something more.
And that is what I look for when we hire.
At IQM, we are not hiring into a company where everything is already fixed and fully defined.
We are building in a field where the playbook is still being written — from qubits to chips, to our own electronics and software, to selling full-stack quantum computers and improving them based on real-world use.
That means we are not just looking for people to fit into existing roles.
That’s why this equation matters.
Because the challenges we face go beyond technical expertise. They require a certain way of thinking, working, and approaching problems.
Every role here — whether in engineering, finance, marketing or operations — plays a part in shaping what this industry becomes.
People at IQM are often motivated by challenges that have not been solved before.
That is true in science and engineering, but also in finance, marketing, business and operations. In a company like this, many roles involve building something new, not just maintaining what already exists.
The people who do well here usually want to stretch. They want to contribute. They want to be part of something meaningful.
In frontier technology, things do not always go to plan. That is not a failure; it is the nature of the work.
What matters is how people respond. The ones who thrive here tend to meet those moments with a mindset of: okay, let’s figure this out.
That ability to stay constructive and keep moving is incredibly important.
Curiosity is one of the clearest traits I see in strong candidates.
The people who thrive at IQM are usually the ones who want to understand more than just their own area. They ask questions. They explore beyond their immediate scope. They want to learn how things connect.
That matters because quantum computing is deeply interdisciplinary. Curiosity helps people navigate that complexity.
If someone wants their job to be exactly defined from day one, it can be difficult to adjust here.
Quantum computers are not built by one kind of expert.
They require physicists, engineers, software developers, product people, business teams and many others working closely together.
That is why teamwork matters so much.
The best candidates are often not only technically strong, but also generous collaborators. They enjoy discussing ideas, solving problems together and learning from the people around them.
And yes, I would add one more ingredient too: a sense of humour.
Because if you work in a field this complex and take yourself too seriously all the time, it gets difficult very quickly.
“One of the things I admire most about this company is that people are bold enough to go after ideas others thought were out of reach, and committed enough to test, learn, and build actual quantum computers.”
That takes courage but also a way of thinking rooted in experimentation and continuous learning.
It’s the same approach we bring into our hiring process at IQM, where we treat recruitment as a collaborative exploration rather than a one-sided evaluation (read more about what to expect from our hiring process here)
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