Head of New Product Development & Innovation

Ultralife Corporation; New Jersey; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Ultralife Corporation, Newark, NY, is seeking a motivated leader to manage the New Product Development department, guiding a multidisciplinary team of engineers and project managers from concept through production. You will own product realization processes, drive ISO-compliant development, manage budgets and programs, and collaborate with sales, operations, and leadership to deliver strategic roadmaps.

Strong leadership and hands-on engineering experience are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Engineering Management at a leadership level.
• Preferred background in power systems, power distribution networks, batteries, power supplies, or battery charging systems.
• Strong understanding of mechanical, electrical, and firmware/software design processes and tools.
• Experience in the medical device industry is preferred.
• Familiarity with transitioning products to high volume production.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills with diverse stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build, motivate, and sustain high-performing teams.
• Experience with ISO 13485 and ISO 9001; familiarity with IEC, UL, CE, TSO, and Military standards is a plus.
• Lean principles in manufacturing and product development.
• Strong program management background.
• Organizational planning, creativity, leadership.
• Multitasking managing multiple projects and teams.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Self-motivated with ownership and initiative.

Responsibilities

• Product Development Management: Day-to-day management all phases of product development & engineering tasks, including requirements definition, hardware/software/firmware development, testing, validation, and production transition.
• Process Ownership & Improvement: Own the planning and execution of product realization processes and ensure compliance with ISO New Product Development processes. Drive and execute Continuous Improvement.
• Financial and Program Management: Play a key role in developing department budgets, tracking costs, and providing detailed monthly program reviews.
• Internal Collaboration: Collaborate with sales, operations, and executive leadership to execute a strategic roadmap for new product development, ensuring alignment with business goals.
• Customer Interaction: Develop proposals, reports, and maintain strong relationships with current and potential customers, by being escalation point of contact for engineers.
• Team Management & Development: Hire, train, mentor, and develop staff, identifying growth opportunities and addressing training needs to build a high-performing team.
• Other Duties: Perform other duties as assigned to meet the department’s objectives.

Skills

Engineering mgmt

Power systems

Mechanical/Electrical/firmware

ISO13485/9001

Lean methodology

Program management

Communication

Team development

Multitasking

Problem solving

Ownership/initiative

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Job description

Ultralife Corporation, Newark, NY, is seeking a motivated leader to manage the New Product Development department, guiding a multidisciplinary team of engineers and project managers from concept through production. You will own product realization processes, drive ISO-compliant development, manage budgets and programs, and collaborate with sales, operations, and leadership to deliver strategic roadmaps.

Strong leadership and hands-on engineering experience are required.