Associate Manager, R&D

VB Spine, LLC; New Jersey; Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with match

Paid time off

Professional development

Career growth

Job summary

VB Spine seeks an Associate Manager, R&D to lead engineers, designers, and PMs in sustaining and evolving spine products. You will drive design reviews, regulatory documentation, and cross-functional collaboration across R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory, and Marketing to ensure project success.

Responsibilities include mentoring staff, resource planning, clinical input integration, and overseeing verification/validation and regulatory submissions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related discipline (Master’s preferred).
• 6+ years in medical device industry; supervisory experience a plus.
• Experience with product development and sustaining activities, NC/CAPA, or remediation.
• Experience managing multiple technology projects from inception to launch.
• Strong knowledge of orthopedic products (Spine preferred) and clinical requirements.
• Experience with FDA, EU, and international regulatory requirements.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to interface with physicians, engineers, and operations.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and remote teams.
• Parametric CAD packages (Creo or SolidWorks) a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coach, develop, and manage direct reports to meet performance objectives.
• Manage resource planning for product development and sustaining portfolio.
• Interface with surgeons and sales to gather clinical input for design.
• Lead cross-functional design teams and large sustaining projects.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Clinical, Marketing, and PM.
• Lead design reviews and product investigations.
• Develop and manage metrics and reporting for senior leadership.
• Oversee verification and validation activities for designs.
• Support regulatory submissions (FDA/PMAs/CE Mark).
• Mentor on design controls, risk management, and NC/CAPA processes.

Skills

Leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Medical device experience

Project management

Communication

Remote collaboration

CAD tools (Creo/SolidWorks)

Education

B.S. in Mechanical or Biomedical Engineering

Tools

Creo

SolidWorks

Job description

Associate Manager, R&D

Location: Leesburg, VA or Allendale, NJ (Hybrid – 3 days onsite | Up to 20% Travel)

Company: VB Spine

Looking for a career where your work truly matters? At VB Spine, you’ll be part of a mission-focused team that supports surgeons during life-changing spinal procedures. We’re the largest privately held spine company and among the largest family-owned medical technology companies in the world, dedicated to innovation, surgeon partnerships, and improving patient outcomes in spine care. As an Associate Manager, R&D in our R&D function within the Spine division, you’ll lead engineers, designers, and project managers while managing complex multi-functional teams focused on sustaining commercially available products — including product design evolution, regulatory documentation updates, and supply chain continuity.

What You’ll Do:

• Coach, develop, and manage direct reports to meet performance objectives and support their professional growth
• Manage resource planning and allocation of personnel and equipment for the product development and sustaining portfolio
• Interface with surgeons and sales representatives to gather clinical input for product design and evaluation
• Utilize advanced knowledge of surgical procedures to drive innovative solutions that meet customer needs
• Lead or actively participate on cross-functional design teams and manage large sustaining projects
• Collaborate closely with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Clinical, Marketing, and Project Management to ensure project success
• Participate in and lead design reviews and product investigations
• Develop and manage metrics and reporting for senior leadership
• Approve verification and validation activities for product designs
• Support regulatory submissions including 510(k), PMA, and CE Mark
• Lead creation and refinement of engineering documentation such as Design History Files and Change Control records
• Mentor others on industry standards, design requirements, test strategies, design controls, risk management, and NC/CAPA processes
• Identify and implement improvements to reduce cost, increase efficiency, and strengthen organizational capabilities
• Develop and manage expense budgets and team spending
• Write annual performance reviews for direct reports
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships across Spine R&D, other VB sites, and external partners

What You Bring:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related discipline (Master’s preferred or equivalent relevant experience)
• 6+ years of relevant work experience (medical device industry preferred); previous supervisory experience is a plus
• Demonstrated success in product development, bringing concepts to market, and/or managing R&D sustaining activities, product transfers, NC/CAPA, or remediation
• Experience managing multiple technology projects from inception to launch
• Strong knowledge of orthopedic products (Spine preferred), including clinical issues and performance requirements
• Experience working within international regulatory requirements (FDA, EU, ROW) in the medical device industry
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong technical writing ability
• Ability to interface effectively with physicians, engineers, and operational personnel
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work with remote teams
• Applied knowledge of parametric CAD packages (Creo or SolidWorks preferred) is a plus

Why VB Spine?

We believe in growing talent from within. At VB Spine, step into a people-leadership role where you’ll develop engineers, drive sustaining excellence, and help ensure the continued success of innovative spinal products that improve patient lives.

Compensation:

Pay for this role is competitive and based on experience, qualifications, and performance. The typical pay range for this position is $125,000.00 - $135,000.00 annually, with potential for bonuses and incentives plus benefits. Final compensation is determined on a case-by-case basis and considers a variety of factors including experience level, leadership experience, and market conditions.

Benefits include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off (PTO) and holidays
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities
• Opportunity to grow within a fast-paced, dynamic company