Director of Research Development

Confidential; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential in the Greater New York area seeks an experienced R&D leader to shape the next generation of medical devices. You will bridge science, product development, and leadership to turn ideas into validated programs and commercial products.

As Director or Associate Director, you will guide programs end-to-end, mentor researchers, collaborate with senior leadership, and advance regulatory and manufacturing interfaces.

Qualifications

• Experience leading medical device R&D programs from concept to commercialization.
• Track record in translating science into products with milestones.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to communicate complex science to diverse audiences.
• Experience with regulatory support and quality systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead R&D programs from concept through validation and regulatory enablement.
• Own projects from idea to outcome with clear strategies and timelines.
• Guide product development from early investigation through commercialization.
• Lead and develop people within the R&D organization.

Skills

R&D leadership

Medical devices

Project management

Data analysis

Mentoring

Scientific communication

Cross-functional leadership

Education

PhD in relevant field

Master's degree in relevant field

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Job description

This search is being conducted on behalf of a confidential pharmaceutical company located in the Greater New York area. To protect the confidentiality of the organization and its hiring process, identifying company information is not included in this posting. Additional details about the company, its technology, and the opportunity will be shared with qualified candidates as they progress through the process.

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced R&D leader to help shape the next generation of medical devices at an innovative company.

This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys operating at the intersection of science, product development, and leadership. You will take promising ideas and help turn them into well-designed development programs, guiding research from early investigation and experimentation through validation, regulatory support, and ultimately commercialization.

The Director or Associate Director will play an important leadership role within R&D, with the opportunity to strengthen existing products while also helping identify and develop new products, platform technologies, and product extensions. You will work closely with senior leadership and colleagues across R&D, manufacturing, commercial, and other functions to determine where the company should invest its scientific resources and how those ideas can become meaningful products.

What You'll Do

You will lead research and product development programs from concept through completion, bringing scientific rigor, strong project management, and a practical product-development mindset to the work.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead R&D programs. Design and execute research and development programs that improve existing medical devices and diagnostic products while supporting the development of new products and technologies.
• Own projects from idea to outcome. Translate scientific and business objectives into clear research strategies, experimental plans, timelines, and deliverables.
• Guide product development. Lead selected development programs from early investigation through testing, validation, regulatory support, technology transfer, and commercialization.
• Lead and develop people. Manage, mentor, and provide scientific direction to researchers and other members of the R&D organization, helping build both technical capability and strong execution.
• Turn data into decisions. Analyze complex experimental results, identify meaningful insights, and use those findings to recommend next steps for product and technology development.
• Shape future innovation. Stay current on relevant scientific literature, emerging technologies, competitive products, and industry developments to identify opportunities for new products, product extensions, and platform improvements.
• Partner across the organization. Work closely with executive leadership and cross-functional partners to establish priorities, communicate progress, address challenges, and keep development programs moving forward.
• Support regulatory and quality efforts. Prepare clear, accurate scientific protocols, technical reports, data summaries, and supporting documentation for regulatory submissions and global product registrations.
• Support commercialization. Collaborate with manufacturing and external partners on technology transfer and provide technical expertise to commercial teams and customers when needed.
• Represent the science externally. Contribute to abstracts, publications, presentations, and other scientific communications relevant to the company's work.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a scientist and R&D leader who can see both the technical details and the bigger picture. You should be comfortable evaluating complex scientific questions, but equally comfortable making decisions, managing priorities, mentoring others, and communicating recommendations to senior leadership.

Successful candidates will bring:

• Meaningful research and product development experience within the medical device, biotech or a closely related industry
• Experience leading scientific or technical programs from initial concept through meaningful development milestones
• A demonstrated record of scientific accomplishment, which may include publications, patents, product development achievements, regulatory contributions, or other evidence of impact
• Strong technical leadership and project management capabilities
• Experience mentoring, supervising, or providing scientific direction to other researchers
• The ability to analyze complex data and translate findings into clear recommendations and development decisions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate scientific information to both technical and non-technical audiences
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to work effectively across R&D, regulatory, manufacturing, commercial, and executive teams
• A practical, outcomes-oriented approach to industrial R&D—you enjoy great science, but you are ultimately motivated by turning that science into products that work

Education & Experience

The position may be hired at the Director or Associate Director level depending on the candidate's education, depth of industry experience, technical expertise, and demonstrated leadership.

Candidates may qualify through several paths, including:

• PhD in a relevant scientific discipline with approximately 3–7+ years of relevant medical device experience
• Master's degree in a relevant scientific discipline with approximately 2–7+ years of relevant industry experience
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant scientific discipline with approximately 10+ years of relevant industry experience

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.