R&D Team Lead

HBK - Hottinger Brüel & Kjær; Tilburg; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

HBK - Hottinger Brüel & Kjær in Tilburg, NL, is seeking an experienced R&D Team Leader to guide a cross-functional hardware, software and firmware group delivering turnkey DAQ solutions for electrical power test.

You will act as Scrum Master, enable agile ceremonies, coach the team, align with Product Management, and work with global R&D leaders to staff projects with the right skills while upholding Safety First.

Qualifications

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 3 years leading technical teams.
• Strong hardware or firmware/software background.
• Experience with agile methods (SAFe) and Scrum Mastering.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.
• Fluent in English; Dutch is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead a cross-functional team of hardware, software, firmware engineers and testers to deliver turnkey DAQ solutions for electrical power test and high-speed applications.
• Act as Scrum Master, facilitating agile ceremonies and removing impediments.
• Mentor and develop team members through training and career development.
• Collaborate with Product Management to align deliverables, monitor risks, and ensure timely delivery of high-quality solutions.
• Work with global R&D leadership to staff projects with the right skill sets and create a safe, productive work environment.
• Support local side management and office administration.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Agile / SAFe

Mentoring

Communication

Stakeholder management

English fluency

Dutch language desirable

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering

Tools

SAFe

Job description

The R&D Team Leader will lead a cross‑functional development team based in Tilburg (NL). Your team includes hardware, software, and firmware developers, working together to deliver complete turnkey solutions for the DAQ market, especially for Electrical Power Test applications.

This is a true leadership role where you are responsible for growing your team’s capabilities to deliver complex products faster and with the highest quality. In addition, you will support project execution by acting as a Scrum Master, ensuring that the Scrum team can contribute effectively to project success.

As an R&D Team Leader, you will report to the Head of R&D Operations, who oversees all development sites. Within this global team, you will help ensure that projects are staffed with the right skill sets. You will collaborate with peers in Product Management during project execution and work closely with local on‑site stakeholders to create the best working environment—always guided by our principle: Safety First. You will also collaborate closely with the organization’s technical leaders, called architects, who support you by leading a cross‑functional team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead a cross‑functional team of hardware, software, firmware engineers, and testers to deliver turnkey DAQ solutions—High speed data acquisition in the area of electrical power test and high‑speed mechanical.
• Foster collaboration across disciplines to ensure seamless integration of components.
• Promote best practices in engineering processes, quality standards, and compliance.
• Act as Scrum Master, facilitating agile ceremonies (daily stand‑ups, sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives), removing impediments, coaching the team in agile principles, and ensuring adherence to SAFe or similar frameworks.
• Maintain visibility of progress through dashboards and burn‑down charts.
• Mentor and develop team members through continuous feedback, training, and career development plans; identify skill gaps and implement strategies for upskilling.
• Collaborate with Product Management to align deliverables with market needs, monitor project progress, manage risks, and ensure timely delivery of high‑quality solutions.
• Work with global R&D leadership to ensure projects are staffed with the right skill sets; engage with local stakeholders to create a safe and productive work environment, following the principle of Safety First.
• Support local side management and office administration.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor (B.Sc.) or Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Engineering or a related field.
• Proven track record of leading technical teams, influencing strategic decisions, and driving innovation (minimum 3 years).
• Strong technical background, preferably in Hardware Engineering or Firmware/Software development, with the ability to oversee and support technical challenges.
• Knowledge of modern leadership practices, such as Situational Leadership, and the ability to apply them effectively.
• Experience with agile development methodologies, such as SAFe.
• Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken). Fluency in Dutch highly desirable.

We Offer

Freedom with responsibility is the framework for HBK’s employees. This allows for a good balance between work and family life and for constant development of professional and personal skills in an international and enjoyable working environment.