Head of R&D

Head of R&D  – Security Entrance Control

Define the direction of next-generation entrance solutions
Location: Ettenheim, Germany | Hybrid | R&D Leadership

At ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems, you will take ownership of a strategically important product portfolio within Security Entrance Control — shaping its direction, accelerating innovation, and ensuring delivery of solutions trusted in high-traffic environments worldwide.

Why this role matters

This role sits at the centre of a fast-evolving product domain, where technology, customer expectations, and market opportunities continuously shift. You will define how Security Entrance Control solutions are developed and brought to market — ensuring the organisation responds with speed, focus, and technical excellence.

Your role

You will lead the R&D organisation for Security Entrance Control, with full ownership of technical direction, delivery, and team performance.

Working in close partnership with product management and senior stakeholders, you will translate strategic priorities into clear execution — guiding multidisciplinary teams across hardware, firmware, and mechanical engineering, and ensuring consistent delivery of robust, market-ready solutions.

What you will work on

• Leading and evolving a multidisciplinary R&D organisation across hardware, firmware, and mechanical engineering
• Defining and executing the R&D strategy for gates, turnstiles, and biometric access solutions
• Driving structured product development from concept through to industrialisation
• Ensuring compliance with relevant safety, security, and quality standards (ISO, CE, EN, UL)
• Advancing the integration of connected technologies, including IoT and AI
• Acting as a key representative of innovation in customer engagements and industry forums

What will help you succeed

• Proven track record of leading R&D organisations, with 5+ years in a leadership role and accountability for product delivery
• Strong technical foundation in electromechanical systems, complemented by understanding of embedded and connected technologies
• Ability to set clear direction in complex environments and translate strategy into focused execution
• Experience balancing innovation, time-to-market, quality, and compliance across multiple priorities
• Fluency in German and English, enabling effective collaboration across local and international stakeholders

Why ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems

In this role, you will shape how a global product portfolio evolves — influencing both technology direction and how teams deliver at scale within a decentralised organisation.

• Meaningful mission – Contribute to solutions that enable secure, seamless movement of people in everyday environments worldwide
• Innovation and scale – Work with advanced access control technologies, combining electromechanics, software, and connected systems
• Autonomy and trust – Operate with real ownership, influencing product direction, organisation, and ways of working
• Growth and development – Expand your leadership scope within a global organisation that values initiative and internal mobility
• Work–life balance – Experience a pragmatic, flexible culture that supports sustainable performance

Ready to shape what comes next?

Apply now and take ownership of a product domain that continues to grow in importance across ASSA ABLOY.

We review applications continuously, so don’t wait.

We’re committed to building diverse, inclusive teams and encourage applications from everyone who can see themselves thriving here. To protect your personal data, we do not review applications sent via email or post.

If you have questions about the role or the recruitment process, please contact Léa Rein, Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner.

Let’s create a safer and more open world — together.

We are the ASSA ABLOY Group
Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access. 

As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.

As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.