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 growthManage resource planning and allocation of personnel and equipment for the product development and sustaining portfolioInterface with surgeons and sales representatives to gather clinical input for product design and evaluationUtilize advanced knowledge of surgical procedures to drive innovative solutions that meet customer needsLead or actively participate on cross-functional design teams and manage large sustaining projectsCollaborate closely with R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Clinical, Marketing, and Project Management to ensure project successParticipate in and lead design reviews and product investigationsDevelop and manage metrics and reporting for senior leadershipApprove verification and validation activities for product designsSupport regulatory submissions including 510(k), PMA, and CE MarkLead creation and refinement of engineering documentation such as Design History Files and Change Control recordsMentor others on industry standards, design requirements, test strategies, design controls, risk management, and NC/CAPA processesIdentify and implement improvements to reduce cost, increase efficiency, and strengthen organizational capabilitiesDevelop and manage expense budgets and team spendingWrite annual performance reviews for direct reportsEstablish 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 plusDemonstrated success in product development, bringing concepts to market, and/or managing R&D sustaining activities, product transfers, NC/CAPA, or remediationExperience managing multiple technology projects from inception to launchStrong knowledge of orthopedic products (Spine preferred), including clinical issues and performance requirementsExperience working within international regulatory requirements (FDA, EU, ROW) in the medical device industryExcellent verbal and written communication skills, including strong technical writing abilityAbility to interface effectively with physicians, engineers, and operational personnelDemonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and work with remote teamsApplied 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 insurance401(k) with company matchPaid time off (PTO) and holidaysOngoing training and professional development opportunitiesOpportunity to grow within a fast-paced, dynamic company