The posting
Life Unlimited. At Smith+Nephew we design and manufacture technology that takes the limits off living. The Head of ENT R&D is responsible for defining and executing the technology roadmap and driving innovation, new product development, and existing product support for Smith+Nephew's Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) business.
The portfolio serves adult and pediatric ENT procedures across three clinical areas:
**Ear:** Otitis media, middle-ear conditions, tympanostomy, and related procedures. **Nose & Sinus:** Nasal obstruction, turbinate hypertrophy, chronic sinusitis, epistaxis, and associated procedures. **Throat & Airway:** Tonsillar and adenoid disease, laryngeal conditions, airway obstruction, and related surgical interventions.
The technology portfolio includes COBLATION-based surgical energy systems, tissue resection and ablation devices, surgical instrumentation, and associated capital equipment. A key priority is to **expand beyond existing technologies into new clinical applications and emerging areas of ENT,** building a strong pipeline of differentiated products.
The successful candidate will be a technically accomplished, customer-focused R&D leader with strong mechanical and electrical engineering expertise, sound business judgment, and a demonstrated ability to translate innovation into commercial products.
This is not simply an engineering management role. It requires someone who can personally influence technology direction, engage credibly with surgeons, understand competitive and technology trends, and build high-performing teams. The individual must demonstrate intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to operate effectively under ambiguity. Prior ENT experience is not required, but the ability to rapidly develop domain knowledge and a deep understanding of customer needs is essential.
What will you be doing? Technology Strategy & Innovation
- Define and champion the ENT technology roadmap, aligned with customer needs, clinical trends, and business priorities. - Build and nurture a strong innovation pipeline, translating unmet clinical needs into differentiated product concepts and development opportunities. - Identify opportunities beyond the existing COBLATION portfolio, including new technologies, procedures, and adjacent ENT markets. - Develop strong relationships with ENT surgeons, clinical thought leaders, academic institutions, and technology partners. - Assess competitive technologies, emerging treatment approaches, and market trends to guide technology strategy and investment decisions. - Drive rapid feasibility studies, prototyping, and technology evaluations to accelerate innovation.
Product Development & Lifecycle Management
- Lead end-to-end R&D activities across early innovation, new product development, and existing product support. - Drive development of complex medical devices integrating mechanical, electrical, electromechanical, and surgical energy technologies. - Translate innovative concepts into commercial products with speed while maintaining quality, regulatory compliance, and technical rigor. - Provide technical direction on product architecture, systems engineering, design controls, risk management, and verification and validation. - Ensure continued product performance, reliability, competitiveness, and cost-effectiveness across the existing portfolio.
Portfolio, Financial & External Partnerships
- Manage R&D budgets, resources, and development priorities to maximize business impact. - Make sound trade-offs across product performance, cost, quality, risk, and speed to market. - Champion external technology and third-party development partnerships to accelerate innovation and execution. - Prioritize development opportunities based on clinical value, competitive differentiation, technical feasibility, and commercial potential. - Drive timely decision-making, organizational responsiveness, and disciplined execution.
Organizational Leadership & Collaboration
- Build, develop, and lead a high-performing multidisciplinary R&D organization with strong mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering capabilities. - Develop technical talent and future leaders while fostering a culture of innovation, ownership, and accountability. - Partner effectively with Marketing, Quality, Regulatory, Clinical, Operations, Finance, and other functions. - Influence across a matrixed organization and communicate technical strategies, opportunities, and risks clearly to senior leadership. - Provide clarity and direction in ambiguous situations, balancing strategic priorities with the need for rapid execution.
What will you need to be successful?
- 15+ years of progressive experience in the medical technology industry, with significant experience in medical device R&D. - Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and complex product development programs. - Strong technical foundation in mechanical and electrical engineering, including electromechanical systems, product architecture, and engineering design. - Demonstrated ability to understand customer needs, clinical workflows, and unmet needs and translate them into differentiated products. - Proven ability to define technology direction, build innovation pipelines, and rapidly translate concepts into commercial products. - Strong understanding of competitive technologies, emerging trends, and their implications for product strategy. - Demonstrated intellectual curiosity, learning agility, and ability to develop expertise in new clinical and technology domains. - Ability to operate effectively under ambiguity, make decisions with incomplete information, and take calculated risks. - Recognized ability to build high-performing teams, develop talent, and influence across a matrixed organization. - Strong financial and commercial acumen, including investment prioritization, resource allocation, and effective technical and business trade-offs. - Willingness and ability to leverage third-party technology and development partners to accelerate product development. - Strong communication skills, responsiveness, and bias for action.
Desired Experience & Qualifications
- Experience developing complex surgical or interventional medical devices, including electromechanical systems, surgical instrumentation, or energy-based technologies. - Expertise in mechanical design, electrical systems, systems engineering, integration, and verification and validation. - Experience developing disposable surgical instruments and associated capital equipment. - Experience leading FDA 510(k) submissions and working within regulated medical device development environments. - Demonstrated success entering new clinical or technology domains and developing differentiated products. - Experience collaborating directly with surgeons, clinicians, academic institutions, or key opinion leaders. - Familiarity with emerging technologies such as advanced surgical energy, visualization, navigation, sensing, and digitally enabled surgical solutions. - Experience managing external development partnerships, technology licensing, or contract development organizations. - Experience working with geographically distributed or international engineering teams.
Critical Leadership Competencies 1. Technical & Clinical Thought Leadership - Strong engineering fundamentals, customer orientation, and the ability to understand clinical workflows, challenge technical decisions, and personally shape technology direction. 2. Innovation & Technology Strategy - Ability to anticipate emerging trends, assess competitive technologies, and build a sustainable innovation pipeline that expands the business into new areas. 3. Speed of Execution & Adaptability - Strong bias for action, ability to rapidly convert ideas into commercial products, and comfort making decisions and managing risks under ambiguity. 4. Organizational & Talent Leadership - Recognized builder of high-performing teams who develops technical talent, empowers leaders, and creates a culture of innovation and accountability. 5. Business Judgment & Enterprise Influence - Strong financial acumen, ability to make sound trade-offs, influence across functions, and leverage external partnerships to deliver measurable business outcomes.
Education - Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
You Unlimited.
- Inclusion + Belonging: Committed to Welcoming, Celebrating and Thriving. Learn more about our Employee Inclusion Groups on our website https://www.smith-nephew.com/
- Your Future: 401k Matching Program, 401k Plus Program, Discounted Stock Options, Tuition Reimbursement
- Work/Life Balance: Flexible Personal/Vacation Time Off, Paid Holidays, Flex Holidays, Paid Community Service Day
- Your Wellbeing: Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account (Employer Contribution of $500+ annually), Employee Assistance Program, Parental Leave, Fertility and Adoption Assistance Program
- Flexibility: Hybrid Work Model (For most professional roles)
- Training: Hands-On, Team-Customized, Mentorship
- Extra Perks: Discounts on fitness clubs, travel and more!
Smith+Nephew provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability.
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