People Hive is supporting an innovative international client in Espoo, Finland, in the search for a visionary and hands-on R&D Director – Hardware Engineering to lead their hardware engineering division.

In this pivotal role, the successful candidate will oversee the full product lifecycle, from initial concept and prototyping through to mass production, for rugged outdoor displays, touchscreens, and payment terminals.

The R&D Director will mentor the client's mechanical and electronics engineering teams, drive critical technical decisions, and ensure products meet high standards of quality and innovation.

This position is suited to a strategic engineering leader with extensive hardware development experience who also enjoys remaining hands-on with technical challenges and wants to play a key role in developing and scaling engineering processes.

Critical Requirements

15+ years of relevant engineering and hardware product development experience
Proven track record in engineering leadership and successful product delivery
Broad technical expertise across both mechanical and electronics engineering
Professional working proficiency in English
Ability to work on-site in Espoo, Finland

Important Requirements

Strong project management skills, including budget and timeline oversight
Experience coordinating with manufacturing partners
Proactive and hands-on approach to technical problem-solving
Ability to mentor and develop high-performing engineering teams

Nice to Have

Experience with ruggedised display technology and touchscreens
Established relationships or previous experience working with Asian manufacturing partners
Familiarity with structured hardware development processes
Interest or experience in integrating AI and automation into R&D workflows

About the Client

The client is an innovative international company operating in an entrepreneurial environment with a flat organisational structure.

The leadership team is given significant autonomy and direct access to the CTO. The company develops cutting-edge hardware solutions and is looking for an experienced engineering leader who can help refine its engineering practices, strengthen product development, and scale its operations.

Location: Espoo, Finland
Working arrangement: On-site
Employment: Full-time
Seniority: Senior
Industry: Hardware Engineering / Consumer Electronics
Salary: €6,500–€7,500 per month

People Hive HR Consultancies LLC is acting as the recruitment partner for this vacancy. Applications will be handled confidentially and shared with the client as part of the recruitment process.

Job Reference: PH-ANS-107