R&D Location Team Lead

The R&D Team Leader will lead a cross-functional development team based in Darmstadt (Germany). Your team includes hardware as well as firmware developers, working together to deliver complete key-turn solutions for the DAQ market.
This is a true leadership role where you are responsible for growing your team’s capabilities to deliver complex products faster and with the highest quality.
In addition, you will support project execution by acting as a Scrum Master, ensuring that the Scrum team can contribute effectively to project success.

As an R&D Team Leader, you will report to the Head of R&D Operations, who oversees all development sites. Within this global team, you will help ensure that projects are staffed with the right skill sets.

You will collaborate with peers in Product Management during project execution and work closely with local on-site stakeholders to create the best working environment—always guided by our values - Own It, Aim High, Be True. You will also collaborate closely with the organization’s technical leaders, called architects, who support you by leading a cross-functional team.

Key Responsibilities

Lead a Cross-Functional Team

• Manage and inspire a team of hardware, software, and firmware engineers, as well as testers, to deliver turnkey DAQ solutions

• Foster collaboration across disciplines to ensure seamless integration of components.

Drive Technical Excellence

• Promote best practices in engineering processes, quality standards, and compliance.

Act as Scrum Master

• Facilitate agile ceremonies (daily stand-ups, sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives).

• Remove impediments, coach the team in agile principles, and ensure adherence to SAFe or similar frameworks.

• Maintain visibility of progress through dashboards and burn-down charts.

Grow Team Capabilities

• Mentor and develop team members through continuous feedback, training, and career development plans.

• Identify skill gaps and implement strategies for upskilling.

Ensure Project Success

• Collaborate with Product Management to align deliverables with market needs.

• Monitor project progress, manage risks, and ensure timely delivery of high-quality solutions as Scrum Master

Resource and Stakeholder Management

• Work with global R&D leadership to ensure projects are staffed with the right skill sets.

• Engage with local stakeholders to create a safe and productive work environment, following the principle of Safety First.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Engineering or a related field.

• Proven track record of leading technical teams, influencing strategic decisions, and driving innovation (minimum 3 years).

• Strong technical background, preferably in Hardware Engineering or Firmware/Software development, with the ability to oversee and support technical challenges.

• Knowledge of modern leadership practices, such as Situational Leadership, and the ability to apply them effectively.

• Experience with agile development methodologies, such as SAFe.

• Excellent communication, documentation, and stakeholder management skills.

• Fluent in English and German (written and spoken).

We Offer

Freedom with responsibility is the framework for HBK’s employees. This allows for a good balance between work and family life and for constant development of professional and personal skills in an international and enjoyable working environment.

One company – HBK

On 1 January 2019, Brüel & Kjær and HBM merged their activities into a new company called HBK (Hottinger Brüel & Kjær). With more than 3,500 employees worldwide and production facilities in Denmark, Germany, the UK, the USA, China and Portugal and presence in 80 countries, HBK is a leading player in the test and measurement area. For further info please visit www.hbkworld.com.

HBK is a division of Spectris plc, a UK-based productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls company serving leading aerospace, automotive, medical, and other customers. Spectris plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.