Job Description
Job Description
R&D MANAGER
Location: Orange, California
Company: California Analytical Instruments (CAI) – ENVEA Group
Lead Innovation. Drive Product Development. Inspire Technical Excellence.
California Analytical Instruments (CAI), part of the ENVEA Group, is seeking a passionate and technically driven R&D Manager to lead the development of next-generation gas analysis products and technologies.
We are looking for more than a manager — we are looking for a technical conductor: a hands-on engineering leader capable of orchestrating multidisciplinary teams across mechanical, electronics, software, and production engineering to bring innovative products from concept to market launch.
The ideal candidate combines strong engineering expertise with natural leadership, product passion, and the ability to align teams around a common technical vision and execution strategy.
ABOUT THE ROLE
As the R&D Manager, you will lead and coordinate the full product development lifecycle for advanced gas analyzers and instrumentation systems. You will serve as the technical bridge between R&D, production, quality, and product management while ensuring innovation, manufacturability, reliability, and on-time delivery.
You must be comfortable operating both strategically and technically — capable of guiding architecture decisions, facilitating design reviews, solving complex engineering challenges, and motivating multidisciplinary technical teams.
This role is ideal for someone who thrives in an innovation-driven environment and genuinely enjoys building products, solving problems, and leading engineers toward shared success.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Product Development Leadership
- Lead new product development (NPD) projects from concept through industrialization and market launch
- Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams including:
- Mechanical Engineering
- Electronics Engineering
- Software/Firmware Engineering
- Production/Industrial Engineering
- Act as the central technical leader driving execution, prioritization, and cross-functional alignment
- Ensure project execution meets milestones for quality, cost, schedule, and performance
Technical Leadership & Engineering Expertise
- Provide leadership in product architecture, system integration, and design strategy
- Participate in technical reviews, troubleshooting, and engineering decision-making
- Guide teams through design challenges, validation activities, and product optimization
- Support design-for-manufacturing, reliability, and scalability initiatives
- Drive engineering excellence and best practices across hardware and software development
Production & Design Change Support
- Partner closely with Manufacturing and Quality teams to support production and lifecycle management
- Lead technical resolution of complex production or field issues
- Manage engineering change requests (ECR/ECO) and product evolution activities
- Ensure smooth transition from development to production
Team & Culture
- Inspire and mentor multidisciplinary technical teams
- Foster a collaborative, accountable, and innovation-focused engineering culture
- Promote technical curiosity, ownership, and passion for product excellence
- Help build a strong engineering identity within the organization
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in:
- Electronics Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechatronics
- or related engineering discipline
- 7+ years of experience in product development, engineering, or R&D leadership
- Proven experience leading multidisciplinary technical teams
- Strong understanding of:
- Product engineering
- Electronics design
- Mechanical systems
- Embedded/software engineering environments
- Experience leading NPD projects from concept to launch
- Strong communication and coordination skills across technical functions
- Ability to operate both strategically and hands-on technically
IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
You are:
- A passionate engineering leader who loves building products
- Highly collaborative and able to align diverse technical teams
- Technically credible and respected by engineers
- Comfortable working across software, electronics, mechanics, and production
- Organized, proactive, and execution-focused
- Driven by innovation, performance, and continuous improvement
- Experience in analytical instrumentation, industrial products, gas analysis, or environmental technologies is a strong plus.
WHY JOIN CAI / ENVEA?
- Lead high-impact innovation projects in a global technology company
- Work on products that support environmental monitoring and industrial sustainability
- Collaborate with international engineering teams and technical experts
- Influence the next generation of analytical instrumentation technologies
- Join a passionate team committed to engineering excellence and innovation
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
ENVEA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, including the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace free from discrimination and harassment.
We provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, reproductive health decision-making, or any other characteristic protected by California or federal law.
Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities and for religious observances during the application and employment process.