Director, New Product Development

Aspen Surgical; Caledonia (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Aspen Surgical is seeking a Director of New Product Development to lead ideation, development, and commercialization of cutting‑edge medical devices.

You will expand the engineering team, partner with Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, and Operations, and deliver FDA‑compliant products on schedule and budget. This leadership role requires building structure from ambiguity and earning cross‑functional credibility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, or related field.
• 10+ years of medical device product development with 5+ years in leadership.
• Proven FDA-cleared or approved product launches.
• Deep knowledge of design controls, 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485.
• Strong project management and stage-gate experience.
• Experience with international product approval processes.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the new product development roadmap aligned to strategy.
• Lead an expanded NPD team and build the organization as portfolio grows.
• Partner with Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, and Operations to deliver compliant products.
• Oversee design through commercialization and ensure on-time, on-budget launches.
• Manage resource allocation, risk management, and external development partners.

Skills

Leadership

New product development

FDA/regulatory knowledge

Design controls

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Biomedical or related field

Advanced degree (MS/MBA) preferred

Job description

About Aspen

We love what we do! At Aspen Surgical we live our values of Customer Focus, Integrity, Accountability, Collaboration, and Innovative Spirit every day. This caring dedication creates and builds exceptional products that drive the industry standard making a real and lasting impact on people’s lives around the world. We strive to be the best, while providing the tools, resources, and support needed to set our team members up for success.

Summary

The Director, New Product Development, is responsible for driving the ideation, development, and commercialization of innovative medical device products across Aspen Surgical’s portfolio. Reporting to the VP, Marketing & Product Development, this leader will be tasked with expanding the engineering team and building out and executing against a robust new product pipeline to deliver organic revenue growth. The Director will have the autonomy to build and organize the function as the business grows, and will partner closely with Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, and Operations to deliver differentiated products that meet rigorous clinical, regulatory, and market requirements. This is a change-oriented role requiring an established leader who can create structure from ambiguity, drive pace in a fast‑moving environment, and build the cross‑functional credibility needed to move critical company priorities forward.

In This Position, You Will Have the Opportunity To

• Define and execute the new product development roadmap in alignment with the commercial strategy set by the VP, Marketing & Product Development.
• Partner with Marketing and Sales to identify unmet clinical needs and prioritize the development pipeline.
• Lead project pipeline reviews, stage‑gate processes and portfolio reviews with senior and executive leadership.
• Develop and lead an expanded NPD team, currently comprising one manager and four engineers.
• Assess team structure and capabilities; design and build the organization as the portfolio and pipeline expand.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement across the team.
• Manage resource allocation and capacity planning across concurrent development programs.
• Oversee all phases of design and development — from concept through commercialization — in compliance with design control requirements.
• Ensure on‑time, on‑budget delivery of product launches with appropriate clinical and technical validation.
• Lead risk management activities including design FMEAs, usability studies, and human factors engineering.
• Collaborate with Regulatory Affairs to define submission strategies (510(k), De Novo, etc.) and support technical documentation.
• Champion compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 820, ISO 13485, and applicable international standards.
• Partner with Operations to ensure robust design transfer processes and manufacturing scalability.
• Identify and manage external development partners, contract design firms, and technology licensors.
• Engage key opinion leaders and surgeon advisory boards for clinical input and product validation.
• Stay current with emerging technologies, best practices, and industry trends, including the application of AI to accelerate development processes and improve design quality.

Required

What You Need to Succeed in This Position

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, or related field.
• 10+ years of medical device product development experience, including 5+ years in a team leadership role.
• Proven track record of FDA‑cleared or approved product launches.
• Deep knowledge of design controls, 21 CFR Part 820, and ISO 13485.
• Strong project management and stage‑gate methodology experience.
• Experience with international product approval processes and required documentation.

Preferred

• Advanced degree (e.g. MS, MBA) with PMP or equivalent project management certification.
• Experience with OR workflow and sterile/single‑use product environments.
• Familiarity with SPD processes and the corresponding products required for sterile processing.
• Familiarity with endoscope reprocessing, and the standards and guidelines governing the process.
• M&A integration or technology acquisition experience.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic vision and business acumen.
• Inspirational team leadership and talent development.
• Executive presence and communication.
• Decision‑making under ambiguity.
• Cross‑functional influence without authority.
• Organizational design and change management.
• Customer and clinical focus.
• Innovation mindset and intellectual curiosity.

We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer‑ and celebrate our employees' differences, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or Veteran status. Diversity makes us better.