European R&D Leader

European R&D Leader

This role would suit an experienced engineering leader, engineering manager or chief engineer with a proven track record working within the construction machinery industry within R&D. The purpose of this role is to lead a group of engineers focused on innovation, enhancement and optimisation of construction machines for the European market. This will include applications, design, development, test and validation capabilities. Salary: Up to €100,000 gross + variable pay + benefits Location: Greater Bologna Area, Emilia-Romagna, Italy Industry: Construction Machinery Manufacturing / Heavy Industrial Automation This role involves working for a growing, global player within the construction equipment manufacturing sector. They seek an experienced engineering manager / R&D leader to steer the future development of their machine platforms (excavators and wheeled loaders). The role would suit an engineering leader with good people management skills, a strong technical understanding, project management capability and the ability to align activities with strategic goals.

The Role & Strategic Purpose As R&D leader you will drive product development, research activities and NPI. You will keep abreast of industry trends, customer expectations and technology advancements. Your technical understanding and leadership skills will help bridge the gap between European and global engineering and customer teams.

In addition, you will build, guide and develop team capabilities ensuring future platform development improvements, which in turn will lead to the production of market leading products.

Typical involvements:

Supporting the Development of Future Platform Strategy: Performance, reliability, safety, etc Influence System Architecture: structures, hydraulics, electrical and control systems, powertrain, safety, etc Guide & Mentor: Leading regional design teams and collaborating with global R&D centres. Market Benchmarking: Translate competitor analysis, dealer feedback, and voice-of-customer data into actionable engineering and platform requirements. Validation & Homologation: Oversee platform development, validation, vehicle testing, homologation protocols, and field-testing to ensure premium quality standards. Skills / Knowledge Required;

Excellent Construction Machinery Domain Experience: 10+ years of technical experience within construction machinery having worked on excavators or wheeled loaders Leadership and Engineering Management: Proven capability with team building, development and motivation. Ability to manage and deliver complex R&D projects. Commercial understanding and customer centric. Technical Proficiencies: Strong familiarity with excavator or wheeled loader machine systems (e.g. advanced hydraulics and control, structures, powertrains, performance and optimisation, etc) Performance and optimisation: Experience of construction machinery test, validation and performance Communication & Influence: Fluency in English is required (Italian language skills are a strong asset). Education: Degree (BSc, MSc, or Ph.D.) in Mechanical Engineering, Automation Engineering, Mechatronics, or Aerospace Engineering or similar. This Engineering Manager / R&D leader role is based in the Bologna area and is commutable from Modena, Ferrara, Imola, Reggio Emilia and Faenza.

This role is based on site near Bologna, Italy, and will require occasional travel to customer sites and R&D centres