R&D Process & Manufacturing Manager

R&D Process & Manufacturing Manager

Vena Vitals is on a mission to transform patient care through better cardiovascular monitoring. We make a small wearable device that monitors blood pressure continuously. Unlike other blood pressure monitors that only take a snapshot in time, we recordthe entire dynamic movie to track continuous changes to guide life-saving patient care. We plan to become the most accurate and actionable cardiovascular monitoring and management system to help improve lives of over a billion patients across the world each year.

Job Description

We are seeking a R&D Process & Manufacturing Manager to lead and expand our sensor fabrication operations. In this startup environment, the role combines leadership with hands-on involvement. This role will oversee the optimization and production of our next-generation continuous blood pressure monitoring sensors, to ensure quality, scalability, and compliance with medical device standards. In addition to managing day-to-day operations, the Manager is expected to be in the lab developing and improving processes, running experiments, troubleshooting issues, and fabricating sensors.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the sensor fabrication facility, including scheduling, resource planning, and capacity management.
• Hands-on involvement in the manufacturing production of sensors.
• Troubleshoot and resolve sensor fabrication issues and implement corrective and preventative actions.
• Manage and mentor a team of technicians/operators.
• Establish and maintain metrics (yield, throughput, cost, downtime) to monitor performance and guide improvements to processes.
• Contribute to long-term sensor fabrication strategy, including vendor selection, automation, and capacity expansion.
• Lead process scale-up from R&D prototypes to pilot manufacturing and full production.
• Maintain equipment, tools, and facility readiness to support reliable operations.
• Required to follow all laboratory safety procedures, policies, and precautions.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelors, Masters, or PhD in Engineering or related fields and or relevant work experience
• Ability to work with delicate materials on a small-scale (millimeter-micrometer) is a must.
• Experience working in a wet lab environment with various chemicals and fume hoods.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and communications skills.
• Experience managing and developing operations staff.
• Experience in technical writing for developing documentation including SOPs, work instructions, and training materials.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot technical problems and implement process improvements

Nice to Haves

• 5+ years of experience in medical device manufacturing or regulated industry with demonstrated progression into leadership.
• Experience with process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) and documentation for regulatory compliance.
• Hands-on experience with PDMS or similar polymer materials is a strong plus, especially for candidates with a background in microfabrication, biomedical devices, or wearable sensors.
• Experience in the practical application of statistics is a plus.
• Startup or growth-stage manufacturing experience is a plus.
• Experience in computer programming to control lab instrumentation is a plus.
• Experience with prototyping tools is a plus.
• Strong knowledge of ISO 13485, GMP, and experience with audits.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively in a small team environment.
• Highly organized and detailed oriented.