Digital R&D Lead

Digital R&D Lead

Venlo  

Hybrid

Purpose of Role: As the Digital R&D Lead, you’ll spearhead the development of next-gen sensory solutions, driving innovation that transforms how we monitor, measure, and optimise performance. You’ll lead a high-impact team of engineers, turning cutting-edge ideas into real-world digital products. By forging strong partnerships with academia, industry, and government, you’ll keep us ahead of the curve in sensing and condition monitoring. Your work will shape the future of digital engineering across our global labs and beyond

• What we offer: At Weir, we are proud to provide reward on a basis which is fair and attractive, including a competitive benefits package. Through our ‘We are Weir’ framework, we focus on the importance of our people and the contribution they make to our organisation.  
• Health & Wellbeing: As a global organisation there isn’t one single solution that will enable us to take a proactive approach to our health and wellbeing.  We have built a Health and Wellness framework focusing on Culture & Leadership, Safety & Environmental, Mental Wellbeing, Physical Wellbeing, Digital Wellbeing and Financial Wellbeing for different parts of the business to bring to life in a way that is most meaningful for them.  
• Grow your Own Way: Everything moves fast in the dynamic world of Weir. This creates opportunities for us to take on new challenges, explore new areas, learn, progress and excel. Best of all, there is no set path that our people must go down. Instead, everyone is given the support and freedom to tailor-make their own career and do the best work of their lives.  
• Be You and Belong: Weir is a welcoming, inclusive place, where everyone's contribution is recognised and all employees are encouraged to innovate, collaborate and be themselves. 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Digital Engineering and Innovation: Drive the development of digital solutions including sensing and condition monitoring technologies. Collaborate with external partners (e.g. universities, vendors, governments) to secure funding and integrate cutting-edge innovations into the business. 
• Own and Operate Global Digital Labs: Manage digital lab spaces worldwide, including roadmap planning, budgeting, stakeholder engagement (e.g. R&D, training, testing), and ensuring lab resources are reliable and fit for purpose.
• Validate and Implement New Technologies: Lead proof of concepts and field testing to ensure new digital  sensory solutions meet performance and reliability standards before deployment. Work closely with the Technology Manager to align designs with strategic goals.
• Provide Technical Leadership and Project Alignment: Offer expert guidance on digital technologies, support product development and testing, conduct market and customer research, and ensure digital transformation projects align with company objectives.
• Safety First: Demonstrate 100% commitment to our zero harm behaviours in support of our drive towards developing a world class safety culture.

Job Knowledge/Education and Qualifications:

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in Engineering, IT, Computer Science, or a related field is required; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Professional Experience: Demonstrated experience in a similar technical leadership role, ideally within mining or industrial environments. Proven ability to lead teams, deliver complex digital solutions, and drive innovation in sensor and Industry 4.0 technologies.
• Technical Expertise: Strong knowledge of predictive maintenance, deep learning, big data analysis, wireless IoT, data acquisition, and database architecture for large-scale IoT systems. Familiarity with tools such as MATLAB, IoT system architectures, industrial networking protocols (e.g. Modbus, OPC UA), and hardware integration is essential.
• Desirable Skills: Programming experience (e.g. C, C#, Python) and exposure to automation platforms (e.g. Siemens, Beckhoff, Allen Bradley). Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to collaborate across global teams and act as a trusted advisor in a matrixed organisation.

We are Weir! Founded in 1871, Weir engineers solutions that improve safety, efficiency and sustainability – helping to provide the essential resources needed by a growing world. We are a global family.  We are proud of our unique blend of talent, technology and culture.  We are here to inspire you to do the best work of your life! 

For additional information about what it’s like to work at Weir, please visit our Career Page. 

Weir is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, age, or any other legally protected status.  

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