Associate Manager, R&D in Allendale, New Jersey at VB Spine

Associate Manager, R&D
Location: Leesburg, VA or Allendale, NJ (Hybrid – 3 days onsite | Up to 20% Travel)

Company: VB Spine

Looking for a career where your work truly matters? At VB Spine, you’ll be part of a mission-focused team that supports surgeons during life-changing spinal procedures. We’re the largest privately held spine company and among the largest family-owned medical technology companies in the world, dedicated to innovation, surgeon partnerships, and improving patient outcomes in spine care. As an Associate Manager, R&D in our R&D function within the Spine division, you’ll lead engineers, designers, and project managers while managing complex multi-functional teams focused on sustaining commercially available products — including product design evolution, regulatory documentation updates, and supply chain continuity.

What You’ll Do:

• Coach, develop, and manage direct reports to meet performance objectives and support their professional growth
• Manage resource planning and allocation of personnel and equipment for the product development and sustaining portfolio
• Interface with surgeons and sales representatives to gather clinical input for product design and evaluation
• Utilize advanced knowledge of surgical procedures to drive innovative solutions that meet customer needs
• Lead or actively participate on cross-functional design teams and manage large sustaining projects
• Collaborate closely with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Clinical, Marketing, and Project Management to ensure project success
• Participate in and lead design reviews and product investigations
• Develop and manage metrics and reporting for senior leadership
• Approve verification and validation activities for product designs
• Support regulatory submissions including 510(k), PMA, and CE Mark
• Lead creation and refinement of engineering documentation such as Design History Files and Change Control records
• Mentor others on industry standards, design requirements, test strategies, design controls, risk management, and NC/CAPA processes
• Identify and implement improvements to reduce cost, increase efficiency, and strengthen organizational capabilities
• Develop and manage expense budgets and team spending
• Write annual performance reviews for direct reports
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships across Spine R&D, other VB sites, and external partners

What You Bring:

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related discipline (Master’s preferred or equivalent relevant experience)
• 6+ years of relevant work experience (medical device industry preferred); previous supervisory experience is a plus
• Demonstrated success in product development, bringing concepts to market, and/or managing R&D sustaining activities, product transfers, NC/CAPA, or remediation
• Experience managing multiple technology projects from inception to launch
• Strong knowledge of orthopedic products (Spine preferred), including clinical issues and performance requirements
• Experience working within international regulatory requirements (FDA, EU, ROW) in the medical device industry
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong technical writing ability
• Ability to interface effectively with physicians, engineers, and operational personnel
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work with remote teams
• Applied knowledge of parametric CAD packages (Creo or SolidWorks preferred) is a plus

Why VB Spine?
We believe in growing talent from within. At VB Spine, step into a people-leadership role where you’ll develop engineers, drive sustaining excellence, and help ensure the continued success of innovative spinal products that improve patient lives.

Compensation:
Pay for this role is competitive and based on experience, qualifications, and performance. The typical pay range for this position is $125,000.00 - $135,000.00 annually, with potential for bonuses and incentives plus benefits. Final compensation is determined on a case-by-case basis and considers a variety of factors including experience level, leadership experience, and market conditions.

Benefits include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off (PTO) and holidays
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities
• Opportunity to grow within a fast-paced, dynamic company