R&D Manager

WHAT WE'RE BUILDING

71% of our planet is covered by water. We want everyone to make the most of it.

At Seakeeper, we use advanced technology to solve boating's biggest challenge: motion. From our industry-leading gyrostabilizers that eliminate boat roll to Seakeeper Ride's real-time vessel attitude control system, our products are transforming how people experience life on the water. Our mission is to create products that transform the boating experience while building an organization that employees want to work for, customers want to buy from, and vendors want to partner with. We're ambitious, fast-moving, and constantly looking for better ways to serve our customers and each other.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS ROLE

Lead the team that turns bold technical ideas into tested concepts that can shape Seakeeper's next generation of marine motion-control products. You'll own the early-stage R&D pipeline, build and coach a multidisciplinary engineering team, and create the technical foundation that allows promising technologies to move confidently into product development.

HOW WE WORK

At Seakeeper, we're looking for people who are excited to build, learn, and make an impact. We want people who are looking for more than just a job. You'll thrive here if you:

• See challenges as opportunities to grow.
• Take ownership and act with accountability.
• Value direct, honest communication and actively seek feedback.
• Build trust through transparency, consistency, and follow-through.
• Believe great ideas can come from anywhere and that teamwork drives the best outcomes.
• Lead with integrity, respect, and a commitment to doing what's right.
• Want to be part of a company that is continuously innovating, evolving, and raising the bar for itself and the industry.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Every day looks a little different and we aren’t going to bore you with every little thing you’ll be responsible for on a daily basis (we will get into that throughout the interview process!) But here is a taste of the things you’ll spend most of your time and energy on.

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary R&D engineering team, building the technical capability, ownership, and capacity required for Seakeeper's long-term technology strategy.
• Own the early-stage technology pipeline, evaluating emerging technologies, materials, and opportunities against clear technical, market, and business criteria.
• Drive rapid prototyping, proof-of-concept testing, and feasibility studies that reduce technical and commercial uncertainty quickly.
• Create and maintain a short- and long-term R&D strategy and technology roadmap aligned with Seakeeper's growth priorities and future product capabilities.
• Translate validated technologies into clear implementation packages that product engineering can use to move concepts toward reliable product solutions.
• Lead system-level technical reviews and trade-off decisions, using data to surface risks, resolve disagreements, and establish clear next steps.
• Build strong partnerships across Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Product Management, Operations, suppliers, and technology partners to accelerate R&D outcomes.
• Create a culture of curiosity, experimentation, collaboration, learning, and accountability where the team challenges conventional thinking without compromising technical rigor.
• Lead the technical contributions for intellectual property protection, such as patents.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

Education

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, systems engineering, electrical engineering, or another closely related technical field.
• Master's degree and experience with mechatronic and/or hydraulic systems are preferred.

Experience

• 7+ years of experience in innovation, research and development, technology development, and/or product development.
• 2+ years of project ownership or engineering management experience, plus 2+ years of people leadership or technical mentoring experience.
• Senior-level, system-level product design capability with sound judgment on technical risks, interfaces, and trade-offs.
• Experience contributing to technology or product roadmaps with a five-year or longer planning horizon.
• Hands-on experience with feasibility studies, proof-of-concept testing, rapid prototyping, technical reviews, engineering documentation, and communication of project timelines, risks, goals, and budgets.Experience developing technical content for patents and intellectual property protection.

Programs, Platforms & Technical Skills

• Proficiency with engineering analysis and calculation tools, CAD and product-documentation systems, and prototype and test equipment.
• Ability to align senior technical contributors, reach practical compromises, and explain complex technical issues to non-technical stakeholders.
• Familiarity with SolidWorks, Microsoft 365, Wrike, and NetSuite is helpful.

Physical Abilities (with or without accommodation)

• Ability to work in engineering, prototype, manufacturing, supplier, and marine environments while using required PPE.
• Ability to participate in on-water testing and move throughout Seakeeper facilities and test environments as needed.

WHERE YOU'LL WORK

This is a full-time role based at Seakeeper's Leesport, Pennsylvania facility, with an expectation of working onsite at least four days per week. The work regularly extends beyond a desk into engineering, prototype, manufacturing, supplier, and marine environments, including occasional on-water testing.

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

You'll join Seakeeper's Gyro Engineering organization and report to the Director of Gyro Engineering. You'll lead an R&D engineering team of approximately six employees across multiple engineering disciplines and work closely with Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Product Management, Operations, and other technical leaders. You'll also collaborate with technology partners, suppliers, and material or component specialists.

WHAT YOU'LL GET

We believe great work and dedication should be rewarded. This role offers competitive compensation based on your experience, skills, and qualifications, plus benefits designed to support you at work and outside of it.

• Semi-Annual Bonuses – When Seakeeper grows, you do too. To celebrate our mid-year and year-end progress, all employees are eligible to receive bonuses tied to company growth and their tenure.
• Performance-Based Annual Increases – Annual increases aren’t one-size-fits-all. If you work hard, deliver results, and make an impact, you’ll see that reflected in your merit increase - you control your destiny.
• Paid Time Off – In addition to paid holidays, you’ll receive at least three weeks of paid time off, with additional PTO added annually as your tenure grows.
• 401(k) Contribution – Whether or not you contribute to your 401(k), Seakeeper contributes 3% of your base wages to your account.
• Health Benefits – We offer medical, dental, and vision coverage to support you and your family, plus company-paid life and disability coverage for added peace of mind. You’ll also have access to voluntary benefits for a wide range of needs - including pet insurance for your furry friends. Are your health benefits already covered on a different plan? You’ll get an opt-out stipend!
• Educational Support – We support your continued growth through tuition reimbursement options and job-related learning opportunities.

WHO WE ARE

At Seakeeper, we're a team of innovators, problem-solvers, builders, and doers who are united by a shared belief: great things happen when talented people work hard toward a common goal. As the global leader in marine motion control, we've built our success by bringing together curious, driven people who challenge each other, support each other, and are always looking for a better way forward.

Our culture is built on growth, integrity, accountability, teamwork, transparency, and open communication. We trust our people to take ownership, make decisions, and contribute ideas that move the business forward. We care deeply about results, but we care just as much about how we achieve them. We give candid feedback, celebrate wins together, and help each other grow.

There’s something uniquely rewarding about working alongside smart, motivated people who are all pulling in the same direction. We set high standards, move quickly, and challenge each other to do our best work, but we never lose sight of the fact that we're one team. Simply put: No jerks allowed.

If you're looking for meaningful work, talented teammates, and the opportunity to make a real impact while building something special together, you'll fit right in.

THE LEGAL PART

Seakeeper is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please contact talent@seakeeper.com. This posting describes the general nature of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. It is not an offer or contract of employment, and it does not change the at will nature of employment at Seakeeper. Seakeeper does not accept unsolicited resumes from staffing agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resume submitted without a signed agreement will become the property of Seakeeper and no fee will be owed.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form (Form I-9) upon hire. Seakeeper participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm whether you are authorized to work in the U.S. as a part of the hiring process.