Job Posting: VP R&D

Job Summary

We are looking for a seasoned VP R&D to join our executive management team to support the development, build, and sale of the world’s best SCUBA diving computers and other mission critical diving electronics.

The VP R&D has a keen skill for blending advanced technology with user insights to address real-world challenges, driving innovation in digital and electronic ecosystem technologies that create new forms of value for scuba divers while aligning product development with Shearwater’s strategic goals and standards of excellence.

Responsibilities and Duties

Key Result #1: Strategic Leadership

• Foster a culture of excellence and innovation, reflecting Shearwater’s core values and vision.

• Key leader in the development and execution of the 3-year strategic growth plan, contributing insights to ingredient technology and product opportunities that align with Shearwater’s unique value proposition.

• Drive the creation of new types of product lines that support business growth, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and market needs.

• Collaborate with sales, marketing, and product management to identify market opportunities, category growth, and potential new product extensions, including supporting Military & Public Safety (MPS) initiatives by engaging with key customer groups, understanding their needs, and positioning Shearwater as the preferred electronics solution for MPS diving.

• Align corporate technical assets and innovation efforts with strategic goals, ensuring successful execution of category and business development plans.

Key Result #2: Technology Visionary

• Advance diving technology by deeply understanding divers, their needs, and Shearwater’s industry while fostering innovation in R&D processes to meet market demands and company goals.

• Identify and integrate emerging technologies and sciences, building strategic relationships within academia and the supply chain to secure access to novel advancements for diving products.

• Collaborate with Product Management to deeply understand target markets and customer needs, translating insights into innovative product designs and material applications.

• Manage the Technology Road Mapping (TRM) process, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ideate future digital & physical product enhancements that solve market problems.

• Apply expertise in hyperbaric medicine, physiological research, human performance, and diving science to enhance product innovation and align with Shearwater’s strategic vision.

• Focus on components, systems, and processes that ensure technical superiority, quality, and sustainability across Shearwater’s product line.

• Drive the evolution of product innovation with a focus on sustainability, efficiency, and continuous improvement.

Key Result #3: Design Leadership for Product Excellence

• Oversee the development of world-class firmware, software, and hardware solutions, ensuring they meet Shearwater’s standards for powerful, simple, and reliable performance.

• Drive product strategy aligned with the brand’s DNA and guidelines, ensuring design consistency across all product offerings and platforms whether digital or physical.

• Build and lead a diverse, high-performing design team by recruiting individuals with exceptional skills and strong cultural fit while managing budgets effectively.

• Champion design-for-manufacturing (DFM) excellence by prioritizing quality, reliability, and delivery performance over direct costs.

• Implement a leadership style that fosters talent development, collaboration, and a culture of innovation within the design function.

Key Result #4: Product Improvement and Market Leadership

• Continuously enhance internal processes to improve innovation capacity and project execution.

• Lead the product R&D/Engineering team in developing solutions that address identified user needs, fostering leadership and expertise in markets, technology, and product development.

• Manage product specifications and ensure accurate technical data packages, coordinating regulatory submissions for approvals.

• Provide engineering support to the supply chain and collaborate with the quality team to resolve nonconformities, ensuring effective corrective actions.

• Oversee project management tasks related to corrective action requests, including problem identification, failure investigations, and the development of corrective action plans.

• Drive Shearwater’s position as an industry leader by delivering transformative products that resonate with passionate divers and outdoor enthusiasts.

• Maintain an unwavering focus on quality, user insights, and long-term market impact.

Key Result #5: Team Development & Performance

• Cultivate a high-performing, multi-disciplinary R&D team capable of managing multiple complex projects and delivering innovative solutions.

• Drive performance excellence by ensuring rapid, high-quality output for hardware, software, and firmware releases, consistently delivering projects on time, within budget, and meeting cost targets.

• Foster a values-driven culture focused on collaboration, continuous improvement, and impactful innovation.

• Balance resource utilization with brand equity, quality, and market demands to optimize performance.

• Recruit individuals who possess both great cultural fit and exceptional development skills while providing coaching to nurture passion, confidence, and execution within the team.

Key Skills and Qualifications:

Must Have:

•  Strategic Vision: Expertise in crafting and executing long-term product strategies aligned with business goals, leveraging market trends, user insights, and emerging technologies.

• Technical Expertise: Advanced knowledge of product design and development, including materials science, hardware, firmware, and software integration. Experienced in applying cutting-edge research to consumer-focused products.

• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in Research & Development, including extensive exposure to firmware, software, and hardware development for complex systems.

• Senior Leadership: Minimum 5 years of senior leadership experience in R&D, overseeing the development and execution of product innovation strategies, and managing multidisciplinary teams. Proven ability to inspire and lead high-performing, multidisciplinary R&D teams. Skilled in talent development and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability.

• Product Development Lifecycle: Comprehensive knowledge of the entire product development process, from ideation to prototyping, testing, manufacturing, and post-launch support.

Important Experience:

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field.

• Industry Experience & Knowledge: Demonstrated experience in the diving, outdoor, or consumer electronics industries is preferred, including developing products for both commercial and government sectors. Familiarity with Shearwater’s products and services, with a deep understanding of the diving and outdoor industries, is a strong advantage

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong ability to work with leadership across sales, marketing, and operations to drive innovation and strategic initiatives.

• Project Management: Skilled at managing multiple complex projects, ensuring timely, budget-friendly, and high-quality delivery.

• Regulatory and Compliance: Familiar with product safety and performance regulations, especially in military, government, and outdoor recreation markets.

• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, adept at presenting technical information to non-technical audiences and engaging with executives, customers, and partners.

• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a track record of addressing complex challenges and aligning solutions with business goals.

• Certifications: Professional certifications in engineering, business, project management, innovation, or related areas are an asset.

Salary Range

Career Band 4: $140-180k

Benefits

These are some of the benefits Shearwater employees enjoy:

• Flex time and Hybrid work site arrangements for most professional staff

• Company paid Life, AD&D, Dental, Extended Health, EAP Plan + Health Spending Account

• Competitive vacation allowance

• Group RSP with company matching contributions

• 5 personal days per calendar year (paid out if not used)

• Diving – open water ticket, dry suit and advanced training, company paid

• Bonuses based on successful annual financial performance of the company

• 10 minute tenant shuttle (or bus) from Skytrain and local Parking available

Ready to dive deeper? To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume on Indeed!

Shearwater Research, is a privately held technology ISO9001:2015 certified world leader in the field of dive computers for serious divers. Based in Richmond, British Columbia, we have dealers in over 70 countries, and service centers in Canada, USA, UK, New Zealand, Thailand, and France

Shearwater Research is an equal opportunity employer. If you are contacted regarding the position, please advise the member of our recruiting team of any accommodation measures you may require during our selection process. Information received relating to accommodation needs of applicants will be addressed confidentially.