Principal Researcher
Employing over 1200 people worldwide, Ei Electronics is headquartered in Shannon, Ireland, occupying a campus where all key manufacturing, R&D, and commercial functions are located. Overseas sales and marketing subsidiaries are based in the UK, Germany, France, Australia, and the USA.
The company’s success is built on a long-standing culture of Quality, Service, and Product Innovation. R&D is central to Ei Electronics’ continued leadership, with sensor technologies and advanced electronics forming the foundation of our life safety and connected home products. As a global leader in the industry, Ei Electronics is now at the forefront of emerging Cloud-based “Connected Home” and IoT developments.
As part of our continued investment in long‑term innovation, Ei Electronics is establishing a new Advanced Research Centre to explore future technologies, develop internal research capability, and build strategic external research partnerships that will shape the next generation of products and capabilities.
Job Title: Principal Researcher
Location: Ei Advanced Research Centre, Shannon, Co. Clare, Ireland
Reporting to: CTO
Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent, Onsite
Are you a highly experienced researcher who enjoys bridging the gap between cutting‑edge research and real‑world industrial application? Do you thrive in collaborative environments, shaping research agendas both internally and with universities, institutes, and technology partners to deliver meaningful long‑term value? If so, we’d love to hear from you.
Overview
We are seeking a Principal Researcher to play a key leadership role within our newly established Advanced Research Centre. This is a senior individual‑contributor position with responsibility for leading internally driven research activities as well as external collaborative research programs focused on sensors, connected technologies, and advanced electronics.
The role acts as Ei Electronics’ primary industry representative on collaborative research programs, while also defining and executing internally led exploratory research within the Advanced Research Centre. The objective is to ensure that all research activity—internal and external—aligns with the company’s long‑term technology roadmap and translates into practical insight, capability development, and future product opportunity. This is a permanent industry position, not a fixed‑term academic appointment.
Key Responsibilities
Internal Research & Advanced Technology Development
Define, initiate, and lead internally driven research projects within the Advanced Research Centre aligned with Ei Electronics’ long‑term technology strategy
Explore early‑stage, exploratory, and pre‑product technologies to build internal knowledge, capability, and technical readiness
Document, communicate, and present research outcomes to internal R&D, product development, and strategy teams
External Collaboration & Research Leadership
Establish and lead collaborative research relationships with universities, research institutes, and external technology partners in Ireland and internationally
Identify, define, and shape joint research projects aligned with Ei Electronics’ long‑term technology roadmap
Act as the industry lead on collaborative research projects, providing technical direction and ensuring relevance to industrial and commercial needs
Technology Scouting & Project Identification
Identify emerging and exploratory technologies suitable for internal and collaborative research, with particular focus on:
Sensor technologies
Connected and IoT systems
Advanced electronics and embedded platforms
Translate technology trends into clearly defined research project opportunities
Monitor startups, spin‑outs, and early‑stage companies for potential collaboration, partnership, or strategic engagement
Supplier & Innovation Ecosystem Engagement
Work closely with key suppliers and their innovation centres to co‑develop next‑generation technologies
Leverage supplier technology roadmaps and external capabilities to accelerate research and early‑stage prototyping
Build and maintain a strong external innovation network across academia, industry, and suppliers
Research Funding Support (Secondary Responsibility)
Support identification of appropriate funding mechanisms for collaborative research projects where beneficial
Provide technical input to funding proposals and project definitions as required
Internal Collaboration & Influence
Work closely with internal R&D, product development, and strategy teams to align research activities with business needs
Mentor and support other researchers as the Advanced Research Centre evolves and grows
Essential Qualifications & Skills
PhD in a relevant discipline such as Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or a related field
Research experience in academia and/or industry
Demonstrated ability to operate effectively as an industry sponsor and budget holder within mixed academic–industrial research environment driving practical commercial outcomes
Strong technical background in sensors, connected technologies, electronics, or related domains
Proven experience leading internal research initiatives and/or collaborative research projects
Advantageous Skills
Strong collaboration and stakeholder management skills
Ability to identify meaningful, high‑impact research opportunities from emerging technologies
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence both academic and industrial audiences
Strategic thinker with a practical, industry‑focused mindset
Comfortable working autonomously in a senior individual‑contributor role
Willingness to travel for partner engagement, project meetings, and conferences
What We Offer
We offer a unique opportunity to shape the long‑term technology direction of a global leader in life safety and connected home products. This role provides exposure to cutting‑edge research, strong academic and industrial networks, and the ability to see research translated into real‑world products that protect lives.
Our package includes a competitive salary, bonus scheme, health benefits, professional development opportunities, and access to state‑of‑the‑art R&D laboratories and facilities.
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