European R&D Leader

Marcus Webb Associates Limited; Bologna; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Marcus Webb Associates Limited is seeking an experienced R&D leader to drive development of excavator and wheeled loader platforms for the European market. The role focuses on innovation, design, testing and validation with strong leadership and stakeholder alignment.

The position is on-site in the Bologna area, with occasional travel to customer sites and R&D centres. A technical background with 10+ years in construction machinery and a MSc/PhD in related fields is preferred.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in construction machinery design/development (excavator or wheeled loader).
• Proven leadership of R&D teams and project delivery.
• Strong knowledge of hydraulics, control systems, powertrains and structures.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development, research activities and NPI for European markets.
• Bridge Europe and global engineering/customer teams to align strategy and execution.
• Mentor regional design teams and collaborate with global R&D centres.
• Drive platform strategy, performance, reliability and safety benchmarks.
• Oversee platform validation, testing and homologation processes.

Skills

Leadership

Engineering Management

Technical Proficiencies

Communication & Influence

Education

BSc/MSc/PhD in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

European R&D Leader - Excavator / Wheeled Loader Machinees

This role would suit an experienced engineering leader, engineering manager or chief engineer with a proven track record working on the development of Excavator or Wheeled Loader construction machines for the European market.

The purpose of this role is to lead a group of engineers focused on innovation, enhancement and optimisation of construction machines for the European market. This will include applications, design, development, test and validation capabilities.

Salary:

Up to €100,000 gross + variable pay + benefits

Industry:

Construction Machinery Manufacturing / Heavy Industrial Automation

This role involves working for a growing, global player within the construction equipment manufacturing sector. They seek an experienced engineering manager / R&D leader to steer the future development of their machine platforms (excavators and wheeled loaders).

The role would suit an engineering leader with good people management skills, a strong technical understanding, project management capability and the ability to align activities with strategic goals.

The Role & Strategic Purpose

As R&D leader you will drive product development, research activities and NPI. You will keep abreast of industry trends, customer expectations and technology advancements. Your technical understanding and leadership skills will help bridge the gap between European and global engineering and customer teams.

In addition, you will build, guide and develop team capabilities ensuring future platform development improvements, which in turn will lead to the production of market leading products.

Typical involvements:

• Supporting the Development of Future Platform Strategy: Performance, reliability, safety, etc
• Influence System Architecture: structures, hydraulics, electrical and control systems, powertrain, safety, etc
• Guide & Mentor: Leading regional design teams and collaborating with global R&D centres.
• Market Benchmarking: Translate competitor analysis, dealer feedback, and voice-of-customer data into actionable engineering and platform requirements.
• Validation & Homologation: Oversee platform development, validation, vehicle testing, homologation protocols, and field-testing to ensure premium quality standards.

Skills / Knowledge Required;

• Excellent Construction Machinery Domain Experience: 10+ years of technical experience within construction machinery having worked explicitly on either excavator or wheeled loader design / development.
• Leadership and Engineering Management: Proven capability with team building, development and motivation. Ability to manage and deliver complex R&D projects. Commercial understanding and customer centric.
• Technical Proficiencies: Strong familiarity with excavator or wheeled loader machine systems (e.g. advanced hydraulics and control, structures, powertrains, performance and optimisation, etc)
• Performance and optimisation: Experience of construction machinery test, validation and performance
• Communication & Influence: Fluency in English is required (Italian language skills are a strong asset).
• Education: Degree (BSc, MSc, or Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or Aerospace Engineering or similar.

This Engineering Manager / R&D leader role is based in the Bologna area and is commutable from Modena, Ferrara, Imola, Reggio Emilia and Faenza.

This role is based on site near Bologna, Italy, and will require occasional travel to customer sites and R&D centres.