Head of R&D

About the Company

We are [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal], a growing startup based in Bristol who designs, develops and manufactures beautiful bionic limbs for those with upper limb absences. Our flagship product is the Hero Arm and with this myo-electric arm, we turn disabilities into superpowers! We have collaborated with some of the biggest brands in the world, such as Star Wars, Marvel, Twentieth Century Fox and Konami, and we have won multiple awards. Visit our website: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal].

Our Mission & Values

“Create and Democratize Technology that Enhances the Human Body”. Innovate, Empower, Be Ambitious, Treat People Equally, Be Reliable.

Role Specification

We are looking for a visionary and execution-focused Head of R&D to define and lead the future of product development at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]. This is a pivotal role at the heart of the business, responsible for turning bold ideas into world-class bionic products. You will own the end-to-end R&D function, leading a multidisciplinary engineering team and driving development of innovative, user-centred products from early concept through to launch. This role requires strategic thinking and hands-on leadership.

Our Culture

You will thrive at [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] if you love a fast pace, value transparency, are a collaborative expert, want to make an impact, and value your downtime.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and maintain in-depth knowledge of all [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] products.
• Line manage, develop and support all members of the R&D team.
• Run and continuously improve R&D processes including NPI and change request processes.
• Ensure R&D team adheres to company policies including Health & Safety and Quality Management.
• Establish and maintain R&D lab best practices and equipment care.
• Track company R&D performance through regular KPI reporting.
• Identify and apply for grants to fund new product development.
• Lead risk management including compliance, regulatory, quality, safety and timelines.
• Maintain a 5-year product development pipeline and plan accordingly.
• Champion co-design methodology with user experience at the heart of R&D.
• Perform quarterly R&D department reviews.
• Ensure clear product specifications & attributes are defined through quality gateways.
• Manage project timelines, critical path, and gateway review meetings.
• Manage product cost including tooling, piece cost, labour.
• Support Quality team to ensure ISO standards are met during NPI.
• Take responsibility for [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] Intellectual Property portfolio.
• Keep track of R&D budget and expenses.

Person Scorecard - Essential

• Broad engineering expertise across multiple disciplines (mechanical, product, electronics, software).
• Proven leadership managing multidisciplinary engineering teams with full lifecycle delivery.
• Strong decision-making capability in ambiguous or high-pressure situations.
• Excellent communication skills, able to articulate complex technical concepts.
• Highly analytical and data-driven problem-solving approach.
• Resilient and composed under pressure.
• Interpersonal and influencing skills to build alignment.
• High emotional intelligence and self-awareness.
• Experience delivering projects against time, cost, quality objectives.
• Passion for engineering and innovation.

Person Scorecard - Desirable

• Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Product Design or related engineering.
• Experience in regulated environment (medical devices, ISO standards).
• Experience implementing or improving R&D processes (NPI, change control, PLM).
• Exposure to intellectual property development (patents, design protection).
• Experience scaling engineering teams in a startup or high-growth environment.

Benefits

• 32 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Additional day for moving house/getting married
• Company Pension Scheme
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• 50% subsidised Gym/Sports membership (up to £30)
• Up to 50% cost covered for professional accreditations
• Free Fruit/Tea & Coffee in office
• Culture of Team socials

How to Apply

1) Visit our website [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] and click 'Careers' to apply. 2) Write a Covering Letter explaining why you are suitable, addressing the person scorecard criteria. 3) Upload your CV. Both cover letter and CV must be provided. Interviews likely virtual.

Other Information

[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] is an Equal Opportunities employer. If you are disabled and require reasonable adjustments, please contact [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]. We value diversity. You must provide proof of right to work in the UK.