Head of R&D

ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in access solutions. We aim to deliver innovative, safe and convenient security solutions that provide real added value to customers. The group has an annual turnover of €8billion and over 50,000 employees. ASSA ABLOY has four times been listed by Forbes as one of the world's 100 most innovative companies.

 
The ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA division leads the development within door openings and products for access solutions in homes, businesses, and institutions. Our offering includes doors, door and window hardware, locks, access control and service. The division has an annual turnover of €2billion and 12,000 employees, with commercial and operational activities managed through 13 Market Regions across Europe, Middle East, India and Africa.

We are currently looking for a Head of R&D at ASSA ABLOY Roger to join our Digital Access Solutions (DAS).

Purpose of the role

As Head of R&D at ASSA ABLOY Roger, you will lead the multidisciplinary teams responsible for hardware (HW), software (SW), and firmware (FW) development of Roger’s access control portfolio. You will drive product innovation and lifecycle excellence while fostering close collaboration with EMEIA DAS R&D programs and other ASSA ABLOY technology units to align roadmaps, share architecture, and scale cross-team initiatives.

As the ideal candidate, you’ll be an experienced technical leader with a proven track-record in product development and industrialization of Electro-mechanical locks or security products. If you can bring experience in a similar or adjacent product line, then you will be welcome to apply for this exciting role.

Key Responsibilities

R&D Leadership and Strategy

• Own and lead the full R&D function for Roger, including strategic planning, execution, and continuous improvement across HW, FW, and SW domains.
• Define and implement the long-term technology roadmap aligned with market trends, cybersecurity and data privacy requirements (e.g., CRA, RED DA, NIS2, GDPR, etc.), and ASSA ABLOY DAS strategic direction.
• Oversee product development lifecycles from concept to release and maintenance, ensuring high quality, security, and timely delivery.

Team Management

• Lead, develop, and inspire a team of engineers and developers across electronics, embedded systems, and software engineering.
• Foster a culture of innovation, agile delivery, and ownership across all R&D disciplines.
• Ensure knowledge sharing, modular design practices, and structured release management.

Cross-Unit Collaboration

• Act as the main Roger R&D interface to EMEIA DAS R&D leadership, driving synergies with other product units.
• Identify and lead cross-team initiatives such as shared platforms, mobile credential frameworks, cybersecurity compliance alignment, and cloud migration efforts.
• Work closely with Program Management to align priorities, deliverables, and capacity planning across ongoing projects.

Technology and Process Excellence

• Promote architectural consistency, scalable system design, and secure-by-design practices across the RACS platform (controllers, terminals, backend, web, and mobile apps).
• Evaluate and integrate relevant new technologies.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards and internal software/hardware validation processes.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Cooperate with Product Management to translate customer and market needs into actionable technical requirements and innovative solutions.
• Contribute to executive decision-making with clear R&D KPIs, roadmaps, and resource plans.
• Be the ‘go-to person’ and a key partner for business and operational stakeholders, supporting them in executing business objectives.

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Degree in Electronics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of R&D experience in electronic security or embedded system environments, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record in leading cross-functional engineering teams (HW/FW/SW) and complex development programs.
• Experience with access control systems, building automation, or similar industry domains strongly preferred.
• Excellent understanding of modern development methodologies (Agile, DevOps), secure development, and system architecture.
• Relevant experience in a global corporation and familiarity of working in a complex matrix environment.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, fluent in English

Why Join Us?

• Lead innovation in one of Europe’s most recognized access control brands.
• Contribute to ASSA ABLOY’s mission to shape a safer and more open world.
• Collaborate across a global organization while maintaining autonomy in a high-performing local R&D team.
• Be at the center of next-generation developments in scalable access control.

It goes without saying that you’ll possess first class analytical capabilities, with a natural flare for communicating effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the business. We anticipate the ideal candidate to be the type of person who thrives in the face of challenge, in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.   

As our common business language, fluency in spoken and written English is essential (additional language skills are highly advantageous). 

We are building diverse, inclusive teams and encourage applications from everyone who can see themselves working with us. Just set up your profile and apply!

 
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.