Head of R&D – medtech

Etac is a global leader in innovative assistive devices, dedicated to enabling people to live active and independent lives. Within its Paediatrics Business Unit (R82), R82 A/S develops highly configurable solutions for children with complex needs. To further strengthen its organization, R82 A/S is now hiring a Head of R&D: a leader who challenges R82 A/S's engineers, sharpens R82 A/S's products, and helps children and caregivers feel the difference faster.

You will step into a well-functioning R&D organization with strong capabilities and experienced team members already in place. Your mandate is to take it to the next level across three specific frontiers. First, tighten the bridge between launch and commercial traction, so products land in the market sales-ready, not just engineering-ready. Second, simplify the user experience without sacrificing capability: its products are powerful, but adjustment should feel intuitive for caregivers, not technical. Third, advance its modular design and design-for-manufacturing maturity.

This is a key leadership role with responsibility for end-to-end R&D activities, from early concept development and product architecture to final product validation and lifecycle support, within a dynamic and growing international business.

The role

As Head of R&D, you will lead a team of 18 skilled professionals, including a Product Care Manager, with full functional responsibility for new product development and market-driven adaptations.

The role is primarily people leadership, complemented by sharp technical sparring with the engineering team. You will challenge, inspire, and elevate the team’s technical decisions, ensuring that all solutions meet R82 A/S's high standards for quality, compliance, cost, and user impact.

You will report directly to Claus Bisgaard, SVP Paediatrics EU & RoW, and play a key role in the broader leadership team.

Your key responsibilities

• Leadership & Team Development - Provide clear direction, coaching, and development to a multidisciplinary R&D team, fostering a high-performance and collaborative culture.
• R&D Strategy & Execution - Deliver on the innovation roadmap, balancing long-term platform development with short-term customer and market needs.
• Project & Resource Management - Ensure effective prioritization and execution of projects, delivering on time, within budget, and to agreed specifications.
• Technical Leadership - Contribute actively to development work and key design decisions, ensuring strong integration across mechanics, electronics, and user-centric design.
• Compliance & Quality - Ensure full adherence to relevant standards and regulatory requirements, including documentation and collaboration with external certification bodies.
• Cross-functional & External Collaboration - Work closely with PM, Supply Chain functions, QA, and international in- and external partners to ensure strong alignment and customer value.

Your profile

You bring strong leadership experience from R&D. Experience from medtech or assistive devices is not a requirement – R82 A/S is equally interested in candidates from other complex, regulated, or highly configurable product environments.

R82 A/S expects that you:

• Hold a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• Bring at least 5 years of leadership experience in R&D within an international environment.
• Have strong experience with project and portfolio management.
• Have experience working with regulated or safety-critical products.
• Are proficient in CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks / Inventor) and familiar with ERP systems.
• Speak Danish and English fluently.

As a leader, you are pragmatic, structured, and collaborative, with the ability to navigate across functions and organizational levels.

Why R82 A/S?

At R82 A/S, your leadership directly supports children and families who rely on its solutions every day. You’ll join a global organization with a strong heritage and ambitious growth plans, where your impact will be visible across the entire value chain.

Interested?

R82 A/S is looking forward to receiving your resume. Please submit it by June 19, 2026, at the latest. For more information about the role, the location, or R82 A/S's company, please visit www.etac.com.