Chief Research & Development Officer

About us

Company - We are a Global Business leading the market with Australian made and owned dental restorative products, teeth whitening and small equipment. Founded in 1972, SDI products are now distributed in over 100 countries throughout the world. Our global head office and manufacturing plant is located in Melbourne with overseas branch offices and warehousing in the USA, Brazil and Germany.

About the role

The Chief Research & Development Officer is responsible for:

• Driving R&D product pipeline to ensure 1to 2 new products are launched every year, in line with shareholder expectations
• Developing compliant Design files and supporting testing and reports e.g. ISO type testing, Biocompatibility, Useability etc
• Ensuring adequate Design transfer from R&D to Production, including validation, documentation, testing specifications etc.
• Coaching, mentoring, motivating, and directing the R&D Team to develop innovative dental products
• Working with both internal and external designers, to develop new chemistry, innovative delivery systems, innovative small equipment, and new glass product technology
• Supervising complex research projects, analyses results and provides recommendations based on findings
• Conducting work in a safe manner and demonstrating a strong commitment to SDI’s values of passion, accountability, respect, teamwork, and innovation

Specific Responsibilities

• Develops stage-gate plan for new product proposals
• Ensures product development is on schedule and promptly communicates issues
• Develops planning of research, development, and pre-commercialisation activities in line with marketing and financial resources;
• Conducts continual evaluation of competitor products to ensure understanding of product positioning
• Ensures pre-commercialisation of products, in compliance with cost, time and quality standards, as well as contractual terms envisaged in orders;
• Ensures effective internal organisation of managed processes and structures, as well as promotion of high professionalism and motivation levels, in cooperation with HR function.
• Ensures internal and external researchers write research papers to present at international dental research meetings
• Plans with both R&D scientists and external researchers to have patents for some new products
• Ensures R&D team are fully cross-functional to encourage collaboration and ideas

Key Relationships (internal and external)

• External product designers
• External Researchers
• Most operational areas of the business- CEO, Production, Marketing, QA, QC, Sales, HR, Finance

Job Environment

• The position is located at Bayswater
• Working hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00pm
• Travel:  occasional domestic and international

Essential Qualification/ Experience

• MBA or post graduate business degree
• Chemical Engineer or Industrial Chemist in polymers
• Strong knowledge of polymer chemistry
• Strong business acumen, proven experience in medium-sized business
• Patent experience
• Experience in developing Medical Devices
• Experience and knowledge of Design compliance requirements under ISO 13485, GMP etc.
• Worked in a medium-sized company
• Significant people management skills
• Proven Project Management

Essential Skills, Knowledge and Attributes

Personal Qualities

• Strong communicator
• Motivates and inspires team to excel
• Resilience
• Strong leadership
• Strong team player
• Innovation mind-set
• Acts with a sense of urgency and accuracy
• Exercises sound judgement
• Driven to achieve strong results and outcomes
• Business Acumen
• Actively strives to learn and refresh one’s professional development
• Acts with a continuous improvement approach

Knowledge and Skills

• Analytical
• Significant and proven management and technical experience in Medical devices field preferably
• Business operations experience, preferably in a manufacturing environment
• University degree- ideally in polymer chemistry and Business Masters-degree qualified.

If you are the candidate we are looking for, please send your CV.