Head of Technology / New Product Development
Salary: Up to £80,000
About the role
We are looking for an experienced and commercially minded Head of Technology / New Product Development to lead the technical direction, innovation strategy and delivery of our advanced X-ray detector technologies. This is a senior leadership role combining strategic oversight with deep technical involvement, guiding both new product development and continuous improvement of existing products.
You will lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers, ensuring our technology roadmap supports business growth, product excellence and long-term competitiveness.
Key responsibilities
Own and deliver the technology and NPD roadmap for X-ray detector products, aligned to business objectives
Lead, mentor and performance-manage a cross-functional technical team
Manage development and process engineering budgets, timelines and resources
Work closely with senior leadership to align technical priorities with commercial goals
Identify, evaluate and introduce new technologies to improve product performance, reliability and manufacturability
Lead the design, optimisation and introduction of new detector and EDS-related products
Drive continuous improvement and upgrades of existing products to support sales growth
Oversee prototyping, testing, validation and transfer into production
Provide technical leadership in resolving product quality or performance issues
Guide production process engineering and ensure robust, scalable manufacturing solutions
Collaboration & External Engagement
Work with Sales to translate customer requirements into technical solutions and support customer proposals
Liaise with suppliers, partners and academic collaborators on component and joint development projects
Quality, Compliance & Documentation
Ensure development activities comply with ISO quality and safety standards
Maintain high-quality technical documentation and project records
Contribute to technical reports, conference papers and patent applications as appropriate
Ensure products meet regulatory requirements and do not infringe third-party IP
About you
Educational background in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science or a related field (
Experience in X-ray detector development, semiconductor devices or related technologies
Strong understanding of X-ray spectroscopy principles, detector physics and pulse processing electronics
Proven experience leading and developing technical teams (typically 5–10 people)
Track record of delivering complex engineering or scientific projects from concept to production
Excellent problem-solving, data analysis and technical communication skills
Experience with Silicon Drift Detectors or similar semiconductor photon detectors
Knowledge of vacuum systems, low-noise electronics or thermal management
Experience generating patents or publishing technical research
What we’re looking for
A hands-on technology leader who balances people leadership with technical excellence
Someone commercially aware, collaborative and driven to deliver high-impact products
A self-starter who thrives in a dynamic, innovation-focused environment
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