Director, Device Development

BlueRock Therapeutics, a wholly-owned and independently operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, is a leading engineered cell therapy company pioneering a new generation of cellular medicines. Utilizing our proprietary CELL+GENE™ platform, we direct cellular differentiation and genetically engineer cells to create transformative therapies for patients suffering from neurological and ophthalmological diseases.

Founded in 2016, BlueRock is at the forefront of the convergence of cell biology and genetic engineering. Our mission is to harness pluripotent stem cell technology and gene editing to deliver authentic, functional cell therapies that address the root causes of disease and offer hope to millions of patients worldwide.

What Are We Doing?

Our foundational science enables the generation and directed differentiation of universal pluripotent stem cells into authentic, functional cells for allogeneic cellular therapies.

We are passionate about realizing the promise of cell and gene therapy, shaping the future of regenerative medicine, and delivering new therapies to patients with limited or no treatment options.

As part of BlueRock Therapeutics vision to change the future of medicine by enabling ground-breaking cell therapies, the candidate will be a leader in the combination device development and manufacturing team responsible for ensuring that the company’s leading cell product candidates have an appropriately designed, tested and implemented combination device. Key elements include procedures to prepare and administer cell products compatible with current clinical technologies and practice of medicine, and medical device systems that safely, and accurately deliver these products to meet the unmet needs of patients with intractable diseases. The Device Development team works with leading physicians and other experts to develop clinical product procedures, delivery systems and other technologies in close partnership with our cell product development colleagues. The successful candidate is a proven team leader in the development and manufacturing of cutting-edge medical product technologies including combination medical devices and ancillary products. The ideal candidate has a deep understanding of medical device development processes and regulations, is comfortable working directly with world-renowned physicians, is highly familiar with design and manufacturing technologies and has a demonstrated track record of leading product development teams that have taken concepts and advanced them into clinical evaluation and commercial launch utilizing internal and external capabilities. Collaboration with a highly motivated, world-class team of engineers and scientists promises an exciting and engaging work environment for motivated, self-starting candidates. Proven history in developing drug delivery device development is required; experience in combination product development and surgical device development is strongly preferred.

The Director, Device Development serves as a global technical and organizational leader responsible for the end‑to‑end design, development, transfer, and clinical readiness of complex medical devices and combination products for BRT’s Cell Therapy portfolio.

This role operates beyond individual project execution, providing strategic technical leadership, cross‑functional alignment, and governance‑level decision support across Device Development, TechOps, Quality, Regulatory, Clinical, and New Product Planning organizations.

The role is a recognized authority in device design, design control, and industrialization, and functions as a primary integrator between BRT internal teams and external device partners (e.g., CDMOs, suppliers, analytical labs), ensuring clinic readiness and compliance from development through clinical studies and eventual handoff to parties responsible for commercialization.

• Technical Leadership
• Acts as technical representative on project teams for complex delivery and preparation device systems, spanning system, device, and component levels.
• Defines and maintains technical strategy, design intent, and risk profile across development phases, from early development through clinical phases and handoff to those with ownership for launch and commercial sustainment.
• Provides expert judgment on material selection, key quality target product profile, usability, manufacturability, and design trade‑offs, particularly for cell therapy combination products (drug delivery, dose preparation, accessories, etc.).
• Cross‑Functional & Matrix Leadership (No Formal Direct Reports Required)
• Leads cross‑functional collaboration across Device Development, TDT, Quality, Regulatory, Supply Chain, Commercial and Bayer stakeholders.
• Serves as primary escalation point for device‑related technical and executional issues, resolving ambiguity and enabling timely decision‑making.
• Coaches and mentors senior and mid‑level engineers, strengthening technical depth, decision quality, and design control rigor across the organization.
• Liaises with Bayer Device stakeholders to align approaches and maintain a network of internal and external device technical SMEs.
• Governance, Decision‑Making & Executive Interface
• Represents device engineering at program governance forums, steering committees, and executive reviews (e.g., Board, TechOps, CMC).
• Shapes device strategy narratives for leadership audiences, translating technical complexity into clear risk, readiness, and decision frameworks.
• Drives alignment on what BRT must own internally vs. leverage externally, enabling scalable development and industrialization models.
• Design Control & Regulatory Stewardship
• Accountable for design control strategy and execution in accordance with BRT QMS and global regulatory expectations for combination products.
• Ensures design history file (DHF) integrity, robust V&V planning, and traceability across user needs, risk management, and performance requirements.
• Partners closely with Regulatory Affairs and Quality to support global submissions and associated efforts related to pre-clinical and clinical phases of development.
• Industrialization, Transfer & Commercial Readiness Leadership
• Key contributor to design transfer to Bayer Product Supply, ensuring manufacturability, scalability, and global supply robustness.
• Shapes early phase clinical device strategy with commercial goals in mind, including supplier selection, design development and manufacturing site readiness to support clinical phases.
• Drives alignment across clinical, open‑label, and commercial device configurations, ensuring continuity and long‑term sustainability.

Impact Indicators

• Recognized internally as the go‑to authority for cell therapy device design and device strategy.
• Influences multiple programs and organizational capabilities, not just a single asset.
• Independently sets direction in areas of technical ambiguity, with decisions shaping program outcomes.
• Elevates the effectiveness of the broader device organization through mentorship, standards, and governance leadership.

Minimum Requirements: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or equivalent, or PhD with 10+ years of experience

• B.S. or M.S. in Biomedical, Materials engineering, or related and a minimum of ten years of medical product (preferably medical device or biologics) development and manufacturing experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the job duties as listed above may be considered.
• Thorough understanding of Design Controls and cGMP requirements compliant with ISO 13485 and the QSR (21 CFR Part 820)
• Significant experience in development and validation of medical device manufacturing processes and technologies is required
• Demonstrated cross functional leader with successful track record of delivering projects on time and within budget
• Experience with biologic product delivery (delivery media, bio-polymers, delivery technologies, micro-fluidic control, anatomy) is a strong plus.
• Experience leader in delivering products through IND
• Competency in computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project)

The estimated compensation range for this position is $ 202,000.00 - $ 213,750.00 per year.

Equal Opportunity Workplace: At BlueRock, we welcome and support differences and diversity and we are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Please let us know if you require disability-related accommodation or other grounds protected by human rights legislation during the recruitment process so that we can work with you to meet your needs.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.