Job Description

What we are looking for:

Nova seeks a VP R&D to lead the unified R&D organization within Nova’s DMD Division and support the division’s next stage of scale, growth, and technological leadership.

DMD is undergoing a strategic organizational transformation designed to support rapid growth, strengthen product-line ownership, improve customer satisfaction, and accelerate next-generation innovation. As part of this change, the division is evolving from a development-center structure into a product line-based operating model, while establishing a unified R&D function responsible for core engineering excellence and multidisciplinary technology capabilities.

Reporting directly to the General Manager of the DMD Division, the VP R&D will be a key member of the division leadership team and will own the development and execution of the R&D strategy across software, software quality, hardware, optics, architecture, infrastructure, and engineering platforms.

This is a strategic leadership role for a senior technology executive who combines deep technical understanding, strong business acumen, customer orientation, operational discipline, and the ability to scale a large, complex, multidisciplinary engineering organization.

In this role, you will work closely with Product Line VPs, Marketing, Product Management, Operations, Engineering, Applications, and other senior stakeholders to translate business priorities and product needs into robust technology roadmaps, scalable engineering processes, and excellent execution.

Role Responsibilities

What will you be doing:

• Lead, develop, and inspire a unified multidisciplinary R&D organization through senior managers, technical leaders, and cross-functional interfaces.
• Define and execute the DMD R&D technology strategy, engineering priorities, and capability-building roadmap in alignment with division business objectives and product-line needs.
• Own and advance engineering excellence across software tools, software product, software quality, hardware, optics, architecture, infrastructure, and development methodologies.
• Enable the transition to a product line-based operating model by building clear interfaces, governance, and delivery mechanisms between central R&D capabilities and Product Line organizations.
• Partner closely with Product Line VPs and Product Management to support future product development, roadmap feasibility, technology investments, and on-time, on-quality delivery.
• Drive scalable engineering processes, standards, tools, and platforms that improve speed, quality, reuse, and execution predictability across DMD.
• Strengthen customer-oriented R&D thinking by ensuring that technology decisions, engineering solutions, and delivery priorities support customer satisfaction, field needs, and market competitiveness.
• Build organizational capabilities, leadership depth, technical expertise, and succession pipelines required to support significant division growth.
• Create a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, learning, and execution excellence across a large and complex engineering organization.
• Act as a strategic advisor to the DMD General Manager and division leadership team on technology, organization, execution, and long-term growth decisions.

Requirements

Must Have requirements:

• B.Sc. in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
• 15+ years of leadership experience in complex multidisciplinary R&D environments, including significant experience leading large engineering organizations through managers and senior leaders.
• Proven experience leading software, hardware, optics, quality, architecture, infrastructure, or similarly complex engineering domains within advanced technology environments.
• Demonstrated ability to define technology vision, translate strategy into execution, and build scalable engineering capabilities across multiple disciplines.
• Strong track record of delivering complex multidisciplinary products, tools, platforms, or systems from concept through release, with high standards of quality and execution.
• Experience operating in a product-line, business-unit, or matrix environment, with the ability to partner effectively with Product Line leaders and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong business acumen and customer orientation, with the ability to connect technology decisions to market needs, customer value, operational priorities, and commercial goals.
• Proven ability to lead organizational change, build management layers, develop leaders, and scale engineering organizations through growth.
• Exceptional executive presence, communication skills, and influencing ability with senior technical and business audiences.
• Fluent English.

Advantages:

• Advanced degree in a relevant technical field.
• Experience in semiconductor equipment, capital equipment, industrial systems, medical devices, defense, aerospace, or other complex multidisciplinary engineering environments.
• Previous experience in global organizations or customer-facing technology environments.
• Experience leading organizations of approximately 80+ engineers through multiple layers of management.

That special something you bring in:

• Strategic technology leadership with the ability to see the big picture while staying close enough to architecture, execution, and technical trade-offs.
• A business-oriented mindset, with the ability to connect innovation, customer value, delivery commitments, and long-term growth.
• Strong leadership presence, maturity, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders across functions and disciplines.
• A collaborative and accountable leadership style that builds trust, clarity, and ownership across teams.
• Passion for technology, people development, innovation, and building organizations that can scale successfully.
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic environment, lead through change, and turn complexity into clear direction and execution.

Get to know us better:

Nova (NASDAQ: NVMI) is a global company and a leading provider of innovative metrology solutions for process control in semiconductor manufacturing.

With a team of ~1200 people in three R&D centers and 27 field offices, we bring insights into the world’s most advanced industry. We leverage multiple technology fields such as physics, optics, chemistry, and algorithms to develop hardware and software solutions that measure almost every advanced computer chip built in the world.

Nova dives deep into dimensions and layers at the atomic level to extract unique insights and provide our customers with crucial decision-making data, managing critical challenges by providing unique, differentiated solutions.

Our outstanding people-focused and innovative culture means every person at Nova has the power to make an impact and significantly redefine what people can achieve through technology.

Join us if you are

A dreamer and brilliant high aimer who sees the impossible as the starting point and loves working in a multidisciplinary global team to create innovative breakthroughs.

If you need assistance due to a disability, you may contact us at talent@novami.com