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Principal Researcher

Principal Researcher

About Ei Electronics

Employing over 1200 people worldwide, the company is headquartered in Shannon, Ireland, occupying a 33,000 m” campus where all key manufacturing, R&D and commercial functions are located. Overseas sales and marketing subsidiaries are located in the UK, Germany, France and the USA.

The Company’s success is based on a culture of Quality, Service and Product Innovation over 30 years. R&D is the lifeblood of Ei Electronics, with sensor technologies at the core of our product advancement. As a global leader in the industry, Ei Electronics is now at the forefront of emerging Cloud-based “Connected Home” and IOT developments.

Working with one of Irelands leading indigenous electronics companies, provides a wide array of opportunities and possibilities to grow and we are now seeking a highly skilled and motivated Test Automation Engineer to join our dynamic team. 

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
  • 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

Join Us

To Apply: Please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience to careers@eielectronics.ie.