Head of R&D

Recruiter:

Recruitpro Solutions

Job Ref:

Rec000202/LL

Date posted:

Thursday, May 21, 2026

Location:

Pretoria, South Africa

SUMMARY:
We are recruiting on behalf of a pioneering South African medical device company based in Pretoria, whose flagship products are used by anaesthesiologists worldwide to improve patient safety outcomes. They are seeking a Head of R&D to lead their multi-disciplinary engineering department.

POSITION INFO:
Duties & Responsibilities

Lead, scale, and mentor a multi-disciplinary R&D department spanning hardware, firmware, software, and production engineering
Drive high-level system architecture across the full technology stack — embedded systems, mobile applications, and cloud environments
Take ownership of the full product lifecycle from R&D scoping and prototyping through to validation, production engineering, and commercial launch
Establish frameworks for design reviews, architecture documentation, and quality control; manage R&D budgets, resource allocation, and timelines
Ensure all hardware and software designs adhere to medical standards (ISO 13485, IEC 60601, IEC 62304) and guide the team through FDA and CE submission processes
Collaborate with product management, clinical teams, and executive leadership to align technology with commercial goals

Experience & Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Electronic, Electrical, Biomedical, or Computer Engineering (Master's advantageous)
10+ years of engineering experience with a proven track record of taking complex products from concept to commercial release
3+ years in a senior management or director-level role leading multi-disciplinary technical teams
Experience in a regulated industry (medical devices, aerospace, or automotive)
Architectural proficiency across: C++ (embedded), JavaScript/Node.js, Python, Rust, C#, Bash
Demonstrated experience with AWS cloud environments and hardware design in a manufacturing/production setting
Advantageous: Embedded Linux (Yocto Project), React Native, FDA software/hardware submission experience

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