Canatu (CANATU, Nasdaq First North, Finland) is a fast-growing deep technology company creating advanced carbon nanotubes (Canatu CNTs), related products, and manufacturing equipment for the semiconductor, automotive, and medical diagnostics industries. Canatu partners with forerunner companies, together transforming products for better tomorrows with nano carbon.

Canatu's versatile platform technology has broad potential applications. Its current core includes CNT membranes for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) processes in the semiconductor industry, enabling the manufacturing of the most advanced chips, as well as film heaters for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) in the automotive industry. Additionally, electrochemical sensors for medical diagnostics are in the development phase. Canatu’s patented CNT reactors and Dry Deposition^TM method yield clean and pristine CNTs. The company operates through two business models: selling CNT products directly, as well as selling CNT reactors and licensing the related technology so that customers can produce CNT products under a limited license.

Headquartered in Finland, Canatu also operates in the US, Japan, Vietnam and Taiwan. Founded in 2004 as a spin-off from Aalto University’s Nanomaterials Group, Canatu currently has 140 employees representing over 30 nationalities, with 20 percent holding or pursuing doctorates. Discover more at www.canatu.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

We are looking for a R&D Director, Electrochemical Sensors

To join our dynamic team at Canatu and lead the development of cutting-edge CNT-based electrochemical sensors that are transforming the landscape of biosensing. We are looking for an experienced and visionary R&D Director to guide our team of talented scientists and engineers as we advance our sensor technology from proof of concept to customer-ready products, often in Joint Development Projects (JDPs).

If you possess strong leadership skills, a solid background in in vitro diagnostics (IVD), and a passion for driving scientific innovation, we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a multidisciplinary R&D team of scientists (biochemists, electrochemists and development engineers) in the Electrochemical Sensor team.
• Drive the development of CNT-based electrochemical sensors from early-stage research to productization in collaboration with customers.
• Oversee R&D project portfolio, resource allocation, and strategic planning to ensure timely and high-quality deliverables.
• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and scientific excellence within the team.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal stakeholders (materials science, engineering, and business development) to align R&D activities with company goals.
• Engage with customers to understand their requirements and translate them into technical solutions.
• Identify and implement best practices in sensor development, focusing on scalability, performance, and manufacturability.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proven experience (5+ years) in leading R&D teams within the IVD or biosensor industry.
• Experience in driving technology development, ideally in a collaborative, customer-focused environment.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and empower diverse teams while fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous growth, supported by strong interpersonal and communication skills to engage effectively with internal teams and external partner
• Knowledge of surface chemistry, bioconjugation, or assay development relevant to biosensor applications
• Experience in working in customer projects
• Capability to communicate complex technologies to customers and other stakeholders
• Understanding of IVD regulatory environments and product development processes
• Background in electrochemical sensor development is an advantage
• Advanced degree (Ph.D. preferred but not mandatory) in a relevant field such as Biochemistry, Electrochemistry, Materials Science, or related disciplines.
• Ability to communicate fluently in English

ABOUT CANATU

As an entrepreneurial company, you will be a part of a dynamic and forward-looking scale-up with great team spirit and peer support. At Canatu, the following core values define who we are and who we want to be, guiding us in our day-to-day work:

• Curiosity to discover provides us with the spark that takes us out into the world to observe and find.
• Commitment to achieve is how we take those discoveries from ideas to something concrete.
• Collaboration for impact is required to develop what we create into impactful and meaningful products.
• Passion for progress keeps us working for new ways to do things for better tomorrows.

Does this resonate? It’s what defines us. Join us to do work with an impact.

For more information on this position, please contact Salla Jämsä at salla.jamsa@ canatu.com. Pls apply latest by March 6th, 2025.