Director of R&D (Data Center Development)

Role Description

Janitza is a global leader in power quality and energy monitoring, trusted by critical infrastructure operators, data centers, and industrial facilities around the world. As we accelerate our North American growth, we're investing in dedicated R&D leadership for the first time - and this is that role.

You'll be the first dedicated R&D leader in North America, working at the intersection of power engineering, data intelligence, and critical infrastructure. This is a highly visible, high-impact position: you'll shape what Janitza builds next, influence the global product roadmap from Germany, and become the technical face of Janitza for our most strategic customers.

If you're a technical leader who thrives on ambiguity, loves working directly with customers, and wants to leave a fingerprint on what modern power monitoring looks like - this role was built for you.

Role in a Nutshell: You will lead Janitza North America's research and early-stage development efforts - identifying where the market is heading, validating new solution concepts with customers, and converting those insights into structured requirements and prototypes that influence global product decisions.

You will be a technically deep engineering leader and thought partner, collaborating across Sales, Product, Solutions Engineering, and our Germany headquarters.

What You'll Do

• Define the North American R&D Direction
  • Build and maintain a North American R&D roadmap grounded in customer needs, market trends, and Janitza's global strategy.
  • Identify emerging requirements in critical infrastructure, AI data centers, industrial power, and energy management before they become table stakes.
  • Establish a structured process for converting customer feedback into business cases, technical proposals, and prioritized requirements.
• Validate Ideas Through Customer Engagement
  • Work directly with key accounts and strategic customers to uncover unmet technical needs.
  • Develop proof-of-concepts, prototypes, and reference architectures that test and validate new solution concepts.
  • Partner with Sales and Solutions Engineering on strategic opportunities where novel technical approaches create competitive differentiation.
• Influence the Global Product Roadmap
  • Partner with Janitza Germany's product and engineering teams to translate North American market signals into global product direction.
  • Collaborate with Product Management to define requirements for new hardware, firmware, software, and integration capabilities.
  • Support development of packaged solution offerings, application notes, and reference architectures.
• Technical Focus Areas (Including, but not limited to)
  • AI data center power monitoring - including DC systems and high-density load profiling.
  • Power quality analytics - sub-synchronous oscillation, supraharmonic detection, waveform/event capture.
  • Grid and infrastructure stability monitoring.
  • Meter-to-software integration architectures (Modbus TCP, OPC UA, MQTT, IEC 61850).
  • AI-assisted troubleshooting and anomaly/predictive maintenance applications.
  • Customer-specific telemetry and data pipeline solutions.

Qualifications

• S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in electronic design and R&D, with direct experience in power systems, energy monitoring, or critical infrastructure applications.
• Strong understanding of electrical distribution systems, power quality, and power metering.
• Hands-on experience developing proof-of-concepts, prototypes, or customer-specific technical solutions.
• Proficiency in at least one simulation or prototyping environment: C/C++, MATLAB, or Python.
• Excellent communication skills - able to translate complex technical concepts for executives, customers, and sales teams.
• Comfort operating in ambiguous, early-stage environments where you create structure, not just follow it.

Requirements

• Preferred: S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or Computer Science.
• Familiarity with industrial protocols: Modbus TCP, OPC UA, MQTT, BACnet, IEC 61850.
• Experience with software integrations, APIs, cloud platforms, or applied AI/ML.
• Prior experience working with global product or engineering teams.
• Background working with power monitoring platforms, power quality meters, or energy management systems.

How We'll Measure Success

• A North American R&D roadmap is defined, socialized with leadership, and aligned to the global product strategy.
• 2–3 validated proof-of-concepts have been developed and presented for product roadmap consideration.
• Key customer relationships are deepened through direct technical engagement, resulting in documented unmet needs.
• At least one new solution concept has advanced toward a productized offering, partnership, or funded development initiative.
• North American customer requirements are consistently surfaced and actioned within the Janitza Germany product process.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary of $180,000 - $220,000 with a 20% target annual bonus.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement savings plan with company contribution.
• Paid time off, holidays, and a fully remote work arrangement.
• Professional development support and international collaboration with our German headquarters.