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