Manager, R&D Engineering

Position Overview

The R&D Engineering Manager is a senior, hands‑on technical leader. They will be the source of energy and enthusiasm for their team. We are looking for a partner who will lead by example, mentor a multidisciplinary R&D engineering team, and be directly involved in product development, process innovation, and problem‑solving.

This role is not purely managerial. The ideal candidate is a working engineer who actively contributes to designs, prototypes, experiments, root‑cause analysis, and industrialization. They will create a network in the company to move products from concept to commercialization at a cadence. They will remove obstacles and ensure engineers are productive, aligned, and accountable.

They should have first‑hand experience in product development and a proven track record of taking initiative, making trade‑offs, and creating new paths where none exist.

The R&D Engineering Manager will work onsite 5 days a week out of our office in Somerset, NJ.

• Technical Leadership & Hands‑On Contribution
• Lead the design, development, and industrialization of new products, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Remain hands‑on with prototyping and experimental builds, test design, execution, and data analysis, process development and scale‑up, root‑cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Review and contribute to engineering drawings, specifications, test protocols, technical reports, work instructions, and validation documentation.
• Drive technology transfer from R&D into production with full ownership of technical readiness.
• People Leadership & Team Development
• Lead, mentor, and develop R&D engineers across multiple disciplines (mechanical, electrical, materials, chemical, manufacturing).
• Set clear technical expectations and standards for engineering rigor, documentation, and execution.
• Actively coach engineers through complex technical problems, not just assign tasks.
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, curiosity, and constructive challenge.
• Partner with engineers to remove roadblocks and help them succeed rather than escalating problems prematurely.
• New Product Development & Innovation
• Lead next‑generation and new product development initiatives from concept through commercialization.
• Identify and evaluate novel materials, architectures, and processes.
• Balance innovation with manufacturability, cost, reliability, and compliance.
• Support invention disclosures and patent preparation where appropriate.
• Make sound engineering decisions when performance targets conflict with cost, schedule, or manufacturability.
• Execution, Prioritization & Problem Solving
• Take ownership when plans break down – define a new path forward rather than waiting for direction.
• Make informed decisions with imperfect data and communicate rationale clearly.
• Prioritize work across multiple projects to focus effort on what most impacts business outcomes.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product to ensure feasibility and scalability.
• Drive prototype builds, pilot runs, and qualification efforts to completion.
• Process & Continuous Improvement
• Identify improved methods for existing products and processes.
• Lead qualification of new materials, suppliers, or equipment.
• Ensure engineering activities align with ISO, EMS, and internal quality systems.
• Champion documentation discipline while keeping it practical and value driven.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Materials, Chemical, or related field); MSc. preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive R&D and/or product engineering experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading engineers or technical teams (formal or informal).
• Proven track record of bringing products or processes from concept to production.
• Strong experimental mindset: test design, data interpretation, and failure analysis.
• Comfortable working across disciplines (materials, electronics, mechanical systems, manufacturing).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to explain complex topics clearly.
• Highly organized, yet adaptable in fast‑moving, high‑ambiguity environments.
• Hands‑on by nature – does not…