Head of Technology / New Product Development
Salary: Up to £80,000
Location: High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
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
Leadership & Strategy
- 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
Technology & Product Development
- 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
Essential
- 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
Desirable
- 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