Senior Director of Research Development

Confidential; Connecticut; On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

The confidential pharmaceutical company in Connecticut 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 development programs, guiding research from discovery to regulatory support and commercialization.

The Director or Senior Director will lead within R&D, strengthening existing products while exploring new platforms and product extensions, collaborating with senior leaders

Qualifications

• Experience leading medical device R&D programs.
• Publications in scientific/technical fields.
• Ability to communicate with senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Lead research and product development programs from concept to completion.
• Provide leadership to engineering, biomedical and clinical teams.
• Manage product development to completion with exec status updates.
• Support regulatory filings and global registrations.
• Mentor junior staff and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams.
• Write proposals, reports, and publications.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Mentoring

Data analysis

Cross-functional

Education

PhD

Master's degree

Job description

This search is being conducted on behalf of a confidential pharmaceutical company located in Connecticut. 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 Senior 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:

• Provide leadership within R&D with regards to development of product development programs supportive of the company goals.
• Provide scientific and technical expertise and leadership to a diverse staff which includes a broad engineering, biomedical and clinical application
• Understand diagnostics device software development and validation processes
• Serve as a project manager in selected projects.
• Direct research projects from conception to completion, including junior staff direction.
• Manage the product development to completion with effective communications of status to executive management.
• Develop and implement research strategies and experimental plans.
• Analyze and interpret complex data, generating meaningful insights. Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to achieve research objectives.
• Write research proposals, reports, and scientific publications.
• Mentor and provide guidance to junior research staff.
• Provide technical support to customers as requested by sales and marketing. Support manufacturing activities and as appropriate transfer to contract manufacturers.
• Provide support for regulatory filings for global registrations and US FDA product submission with appropriate data summaries and reports.

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:

• Broad understanding and related experience in medical device platform development
• Demonstrated record of research accomplishments, including development and supportive scientific and technical publications.
• Strong technical leadership and project management skills.
• Excellent communication skills and presentation abilities.
• Intellectually strong - Ability to think critically and innovatively in the industrial research and development setting, focusing on deliverable outcomes.
• Tactful and Seasoned - an ability to represent the company in a professional manner in all interactions, both internal and external.

Education & Experience

The position may be hired at the Director or Senior 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 7+ 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.