Director of Research and Development

Voltage Energy Storage LLC; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Voltage Energy Storage LLC in Timberlake, NC is seeking an experienced R&D leader to drive strategy and the product development roadmap for our BESS portfolio. You will oversee prototyping, testing, validation, and new product introduction from concept through commercialization.

You will mentor engineering teams, manage priorities, budgets, and KPIs, and collaborate with Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales and Product teams to deliver high-performance, compliant energy

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years progressive engineering or product development experience.
• 5+ years leading R&D, engineering, or product development teams.
• Experience leading new product development from concept through commercialization.
• Knowledge of product development lifecycle, stage-gate, testing and reliability.
• Strong project and portfolio management skills with budgets/resources.
• Experience with ERP/PLM systems.
• Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration with an innovation mindset.
• Nice to have a Master's degree.
• Experience in manufacturing, renewable energy, electrical products, or industrial tech.
• SAP experience.
• Proven success scaling innovation in a growth-oriented organization.
• Deep technical expertise with strong business acumen.
• Passion for innovation in advanced manufacturing and renewable energy.

Responsibilities

• Lead execution of the R&D strategy and product development roadmap.
• Identify emerging technologies, market trends, and opportunities to improve our products.
• Lead prototyping, testing, validation, and commercialization, including NPI and stage-gate processes.
• Direct engineering teams in developing new products and enhancing existing ones.
• Ensure products meet performance, regulatory, reliability, and customer requirements.
• Manage R&D priorities, budgets, resources, timelines, and KPIs.
• Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales and Product teams, incl. DFM and move to production.
• Support customer-driven solutions and market expansion with technical expertise.
• Lead, mentor, and develop R&D and engineering teams, building succession and culture of innovation.
• Support IP, risk management, and documentation for audit readiness.

Skills

Leadership

Product development

Electrical/mechanical

ERP/PLM systems

SAP experience

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Innovation mindset

Manufacturing exposure

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

MS/MA preferred

Tools

SAP

ERP/PLM systems

Job description

Location: Timberlake, NC. Department: BESS | Type: Full-Time, Exempt Reports to: Chief Technology Officer

What You'll Do

• Lead execution of the R&D strategy and product development roadmap.
• Identify emerging technologies, market trends, and opportunities to improve our products.
• Lead prototyping, testing, validation, and commercialization, including new product introduction (NPI) and stage-gate processes.
• Direct engineering teams in developing new products and enhancing existing ones.
• Make sure products meet performance, regulatory, reliability, and customer requirements.
• Manage R&D priorities, budgets, resources, timelines, and KPIs.
• Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, and Product teams, including on design for manufacturability and the move into production.
• Support customer-driven solutions and market expansion with technical expertise.
• Lead, mentor, and develop R&D and engineering teams, building succession depth and a culture of innovation.
• Support intellectual property, risk management, and documentation for audit readiness.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, or similar), Product Development, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of progressive engineering or product development experience.
• 5+ years leading R&D, engineering, or product development teams.
• Experience leading new product development from concept through commercialization.
• Knowledge of the product development lifecycle, stage-gate methodology, and testing, validation, and reliability principles.
• Strong project and portfolio management skills, plus budget and resource planning experience.
• Experience with ERP/PLM systems.
• Strong communication, leadership, and cross-functional collaboration skills, with an innovation mindset balanced by execution discipline.
• Nice to Have Master's degree.
• Experience in manufacturing, renewable energy, electrical products, or industrial technology.
• SAP experience.
• Proven success scaling innovation in a growth-oriented organization.
• Deep technical expertise paired with strong business acumen.
• Passion for innovation in advanced manufacturing and renewable energy.

Work Environment

Work is primarily in an office environment with extended computer use, in a fast-growing, dynamic setting. Travel to customer sites and events of up to 25% is currently listed in the job description, so please confirm it before posting.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. The Company will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of any employment visa.

Voltage is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Voltage is a fast-growing company in the renewable energy industry, specializing in innovative electrical balance of system (EBOS) solutions for utility-scale solar projects. For more than a decade, we have supported the development of clean energy infrastructure by delivering high-quality products, engineering expertise, and reliable manufacturing capabilities. Our team works closely with customers to design and produce efficient, scalable solutions that help accelerate the transition to renewable energy. With expanding operations and a commitment to innovation, safety, and operational excellence, Voltage continues to play an important role in powering the future of clean energy.

At Voltage, we believe our people are our greatest asset. We foster a collaborative environment where employees are empowered to contribute ideas, grow professionally, and make a meaningful impact in the global energy transition.