Director of Research Development

Director / Head of R&D — Medical Devices

Location: Denver, CO (Hybrid)- 3 days on site

Industry: Dental Health · Diagnostics · Medical Devices

Are you a strategic R&D leader with a passion for innovation, product excellence, and building high-performing teams? Do you thrive in people-centric environments where your work directly shapes company growth? If so, this opportunity may be your next great career move.

We are partnering with a rapidly growing, U.S.-based organization in the dental diagnostics and oral health technology space. As Director / Head of R&D, you will report directly to the President and play a key role on the Senior Leadership Team, helping steer the company through its next phase of expansion and product evolution.

This influential, hands-on role blends strategic oversight with technical execution and offers the chance to impact the entire lifecycle of product development—from concept and feasibility, through design and validation, and on to commercialisation.

What You’ll Do

• Define and execute the R&D strategy across the full product portfolio, ensuring alignment with company growth goals and market needs
• Lead, mentor, and develop multidisciplinary teams, fostering a culture rooted in collaboration, accountability, and creativity
• Oversee project pipelines from early ideation through design, testing, regulatory submission, manufacturing transfer, and launch
• Bridge commercial and technical priorities, ensuring innovation is market-driven, commercially viable, and customer-centric
• Champion quality, compliance, and safety within all engineering and development processes in a regulated environment
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Quality, Operations, Regulatory, and Commercial Leadership to bring new products to life
• Identify emerging technologies and trends that align with business strategy and future product expansion
• Drive continuous improvement, optimizing processes, systems, and workflows to increase efficiency and output

What You Bring

• Demonstrated experience in medical device R&D, product development, and regulated environments (FDA, ISO13485, etc.)
• Strong people leadership track record, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and scale teams through periods of growth and organizational change
• A commercial mindset, blending technical rigor with market awareness, customer focus, and business acumen
• Experience managing complex product development programs from concept to launch, ideally within diagnostics, dental, or related technologies
• Entrepreneurial energy, comfort with ambiguity, and a proactive approach to innovation and problem-solving
• Based in (or willing to relocate to) the Denver metro area with the ability to work in a hybrid model

Why Join Us

This is more than a job—it’s a chance to:

• Shape product direction at a formative stage of company growth

• Influence strategy at the executive level with direct access to decision-makers

• Join a family-run, people-first culture that values long-term relationships, career development, and personal well-being

• Make meaningful impact in a sector improving oral health outcomes globally

• Take ownership, grow professionally, and leave a legacy within a dynamic organisation committed to excellence

• You’ll be part of a company that invests deeply in its people, prioritises quality and compliance, and fosters an environment where innovation thrives.