R&D Director

Kuori Oy; Espoo; On-site; EUR 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Kuori Oy is a Finnish hardware innovator delivering rugged outdoor displays, touchscreens, and payment terminals used in challenging environments. We are seeking a driven R&D Director to lead our hardware engineering and drive product execution as we scale, reporting to the CTO and owning critical technical decisions.

You will guide teams, manage timelines and budgets, and work onsite weekly at our Espoo headquarters. Fluency in English is required; Finnish is not required.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of relevant work experience in engineering and hardware product development.
• Weekly onsite work at headquarters in Espoo, Finland.
• Fluent in English; Finnish not required.
• Broad technical understanding across mechanics and electronics; ability to challenge technical decisions and make informed trade-offs.
• Proven track record of owning outcomes and leading technical teams through high-pressure phases.
• Curiosity and ability to leverage modern AI tools to streamline R&D processes and speed up workflows.

Responsibilities

• Drive product execution across the entire development lifecycle—from concept and prototyping to mass production.
• Lead, mentor, and empower engineering teams with a pride-in-work culture.
• Make autonomous decisions and proactively resolve bottlenecks to align with business goals.
• Maintain control over project timelines, budgets, and technical resources.
• Foster cross-functional alignment with manufacturing, operations, and QA.
• Implement feedback loops to elevate product quality and technical maturity.

Skills

Leadership

Hardware engineering

Systems engineering

AI tools usage

English proficiency

Onsite leadership

Tools

AI tools

Job description

At Kuori, we build heavy-duty outdoor displays, touchscreens, and payment terminals engineered to survive real-world chaos – without failing when weather or high usage hits. We’ve grown from a Finnish startup into a global player with hardware running in over 30 countries, outmanoeuvring sluggish industry giants through speed, mass customisation, and Finnish grit (_sisu_).

We are looking for a driven, fast-thinking R&D Director to lead our hardware engineering efforts. Reporting directly to our CTO, you will have total autonomy to make critical technical decisions, clear obstacles for our engineering teams, and drive product execution as we scale. If you run towards accountability and want to shape heavy-duty hardware instead of fighting corporate bureaucracy, this is your invitation to build something great.

In your daily work, you will:

• Drive product execution across the entire development lifecycle -taking hardware smoothly from initial concept and prototyping through to mass production.
• Lead, mentor, and empower our engineering teams, building an environment where people take pride in their work and perform at their best.
• Make autonomous decisions and proactively resolve bottlenecks to keep technical execution aligned with business goals.
• Maintain control over project timelines, budgets, and technical resources when deadlines tighten.
• Foster seamless cross-functional alignment between your teams, manufacturing, operations, and quality assurance.
• Implement feedback loops and fast problem-solving practices to continuously elevate product quality and technical maturity.

What we expect from you:

• A builder mindset – you thrive in a company environment where (almost) nothing is set, but everything is possible
• A growth attitude – you enjoy challenges and embrace opportunities for personal and professional development
• Hands-on approach: you are not afraid to take action, dive into the work and carry responsibility. You spot what needs to be done and take independent responsibility and deliver results
• Broad technical understanding across mechanics and electronics, with the ability to challenge technical decisions, connect disciplines, and make informed trade-offs.
• Proven track record of owning outcomes and leading technical teams through high-pressure phases.
• A genuine curiosity and practical knack for leveraging modern AI tools to streamline R&D processes, speed up technical workflows, and cut out administrative friction.
• 15+ years of relevant work experience in engineering and hardware product development.
• This role requires weekly onsite work at our headquarters in Espoo, Finland, to stay close to hardware prototyping, manufacturing, and engineering teams
• Professional working fluency in English (fluent Finnish is not required).

What we offer:

• A chance to customise your career and grow in your field in a rapidly growing high-tech company
• Direct line to our CTO and C-level in a low-hierarchy, entrepreneurial environment. Unlike legacy hardware giants, you won’t fight through five layers of committees and red tape just to ship an engineering fix-our short decision paths mean smart ideas always beat corporate bureaucracy.
• An international and easy-going team of 70 bright minds who embrace a culture of humour and collaboration
• Full-time, permanent contract with clear room to expand your leadership footprint as Kuori scales.

Osaamisalue: Johtaminen & konsultointi, Teollisuus & tuotanto, Tutkimus, kehitys & tuotekehitys