Senior Program Manager, R&D in London

Location: London, UK

Employment Type: Full time

Department: R&D

At CoMind, we are developing a non-invasive neuromonitoring technology that will result in a new era of clinical brain monitoring. In joining us, you will be helping to create cutting-edge technologies that will improve how we diagnose and treat brain disorders, ultimately improving and saving the lives of patients across the world.

The Role: CoMind’s R&D organisation spans experimental and translational optics, data science, machine learning, and clinical research, operating at the intersection of deep technology, applied science, and medical device innovation. The Senior Programme Manager, R&D at CoMind will play a critical role in ensuring the effectiveness, coherence, and operational excellence of CoMind’s research and development organisation. Reporting directly to the Chief Scientific Officer, this role will act as a senior operational partner and proxy to the CSO, working closely with R&D managers and senior stakeholders across the company.

This is a senior, hands-on role focused on portfolio-level programme leadership rather than just individual project delivery. The successful candidate will be responsible for translating scientific strategy into well-structured research programmes, ensuring clarity of objectives, timelines, deliverables, and decision-making, while preserving the exploratory nature required for high-quality research. CoMind is entering a phase of rapid scientific and clinical scale-up. This role is central to ensuring that our R&D organisation operates with clarity, discipline, and high standards, without sacrificing scientific creativity or rigor.

Please note that this role requires 5 days per week in the office.

Responsibilities:

• Owning the planning, coordination, and execution oversight of CoMind’s R&D programme portfolio across optics, data science / machine learning, and supporting clinical research.
• Working closely with the Chief Scientific Officer to translate scientific strategy and priorities into coherent, executable research programmes with clear milestones, dependencies, and success criteria.
• Acting as a senior operational partner and proxy to the CSO, representing R&D in internal forums and supporting preparation for executive-level and external-facing meetings.
• Supporting and enabling R&D managers by providing structure, tools, and processes to improve planning, prioritisation, and execution across teams.
• Establishing and maintaining effective research-appropriate programme management practices, including planning cadences, review forums, and decision-making frameworks.
• Defining, implementing, and maintaining high standards for R&D outputs, including reports, internal documentation, research summaries, and executive-level communications.
• Designing and maintaining lightweight but effective processes for knowledge management and onboarding, including approaches to literature review, internal knowledge sharing, and institutional memory.
• Working collaboratively across research, engineering, clinical, and product teams to ensure effective handover, alignment, and shared understanding.
• Continuously identifying opportunities to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and maturity of CoMind’s R&D operating model.
• Instilling and representing CoMind’s values of Velocity, Simplicity, Ownership, Curiosity, and Customer Obsession across the R&D organisation.

Skills & Experience:

• Extensive experience leading complex, multidisciplinary research or deep-tech programmes in environments characterised by scientific innovation.
• Demonstrated experience operating at portfolio or programme level rather than solely at individual project level.
• Experience working closely with senior scientific or technical leadership, acting as a trusted operational partner.
• Strong background in research-driven environments such as medical devices, deep-tech, life-sciences, neuroscience, and/or advanced engineering.
• Proven ability to design and implement effective operating processes tailored to research organisations, rather than applying generic delivery frameworks.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with a strong emphasis on clarity, structure, and quality of scientific and technical writing.
• Ability to engage credibly with senior scientists, engineers, and clinicians, and to challenge constructively when required.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with a track record of improving execution without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
• Experience working within or alongside regulated environments (e.g. medical devices, clinical research) is highly desirable.

Benefits:

• Company equity plan so all employees share in the success of the company.
• Salary-sacrifice pension scheme.
• Private medical, dental and vision insurance (medical history disregarded).
• Group life assurance at 4x annual income.
• Comprehensive mental health support, including unlimited access to 1:1 sessions with trained professionals.
• Unlimited holiday allowance.