R&D Manager Engineer

Vaco by Highspring; Westfield (NJ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring seeks an experienced R&D Engineering Manager to lead technical teams turning concepts into viable products and prototypes. You will oversee prototypes, testing, and coordination with QA, regulatory, and manufacturing to ensure smooth transitions to production.

The ideal candidate has 5–10+ years in engineering/product development, with 2–5+ years in leadership, strong communication, and a solid background in mechanical/electromechanical domains and tools like SolidWorks,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Science, or related field.
• 5–10+ years of engineering and product development experience, including 2–5+ years in leadership.
• Strong fundamentals in mechanical design, electromechanical systems, or software integration; familiarity with SolidWorks, Python or MATLAB.
• Exceptional communication, problem-solving, stakeholder negotiation, and cross-functional conflict-resolution capabilities.
• Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology preferred.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, mentor, and manage a team of engineers and scientists, conducting performance reviews.
• Oversee project timelines, resource allocation, and department budgets; remove technical roadblocks.
• Develop prototypes and coordinate fabrication, assembly, and testing.
• Provide high-level supervision and technical judgment for design reviews, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with QA, Regulatory Affairs, Manufacturing, and Product Marketing to transition concepts to production.
• Align research directions and technology roadmap with company goals.
• Demonstrate exceptional communication and cross-functional conflict-resolution capabilities.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Performance reviews

Communication

Problem solving

Stakeholder negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering Technology preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

Python

MATLAB

Job description

About the Role

An R&D (Research and Development) Engineering Manager oversees technical teams to turn creative concepts and emerging technologies into viable products, prototypes, or operational processes.

Core Responsibilities

• Recruit, mentor, and manage a team of engineers and scientists, conducting performance reviews and fostering a culture of innovation.


• Oversee project timelines, resource allocation, and department budgets while removing technical roadblocks.


• Develop prototypes and coordinate prototype fabrication, assembly, and testing.


• Provide high-level supervision and technical judgment for design reviews, risk management, and regulatory compliance (such as ISO standards or design controls).


• Partner with Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Manufacturing, and Product Marketing teams to transition concepts smoothly into production.


• Align research directions and the technology roadmap with broader company business goals.


• Exceptional communication, problem‑solving, stakeholder negotiation, and cross‑functional conflict‑resolution capabilities.

Key Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Science, or a related technical discipline.


• Experience: 5 to 10+ years of engineering and product‑development experience, including 2 to 5+ years in a leadership or management capacity.


• Technical Proficiency: Strong fundamentals in core engineering domains (e.g., mechanical design, electromechanical systems, or software integration) alongside familiarity with tools like SolidWorks, Python, or MATLAB.


• Soft Skills: Exceptional communication, problem‑solving, stakeholder negotiation, and cross‑functional conflict‑resolution capabilities.


• A Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering Technology is preferred.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail].

Additional Notice

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

Policy Access

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.


• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.


• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.


• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.


• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

AI Screening Disclaimer

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual's skill sets, experience and training;


• licensure and certification requirements;


• office location and other geographic considerations; and


• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).