Director of R&D - Ottawa

At Jabil (NYSE: JBL), we are proud to be a trusted partner for the world's top brands, offering comprehensive engineering, supply chain, and manufacturing solutions. With 60 years of experience across industries and a vast network of over 100 sites worldwide, Jabil combines global reach with local expertise to deliver both scalable and customized solutions. Our commitment extends beyond business success as we strive to build sustainable processes that minimize environmental impact and foster vibrant and diverse communities around the globe.

Director of R&D - based onsite in Ottawa, Canada

Jabil is seeking a visionary and technically adept Director of R&D to lead a multi-disciplinary team focused on the development of next-generation transceiver solutions for hyperscalers and data center customers. This role is responsible for driving innovation across software, hardware, and system architecture, ensuring Jabil remains at the forefront of high-performance, scalable connectivity solutions.

What can you expect to do?

• Strategic Leadership
  • Define and execute the R&D strategy for transceiver technologies aligned with hyperscaler and data center market needs.
  • Collaborate with executive leadership to shape long-term business and technology roadmaps.
• Technology & Innovation
  • Lead the development of cutting-edge transceiver solutions, integrating hardware, firmware, software, and system architecture.
  • Drive innovation in optical and electrical interconnects, signal integrity, and high-speed design.
  • Monitor emerging technologies and industry trends to inform product direction and maintain competitive advantage.
• Team & Project Management
  • Manage and mentor a cross-functional team of engineers and architects across disciplines.
  • Oversee project execution from concept through production, ensuring quality, cost, and schedule targets are met.
  • Foster a culture of technical excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Customer & Partner Engagement
  • Serve as the technical interface for hyperscaler and data center customers, translating their needs into actionable R&D initiatives.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key technology partners and suppliers.
  • Represent Jabil at industry forums, technical conferences, and customer engagements.
• Operational Excellence
  • Coordinate closely with Sales, Operations, and Product Management to ensure seamless integration of R&D outputs into the broader business.
  • Proactively identify and resolve technical and strategic challenges.
  • Ensure compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

What is the experience needed to be successful in this role?

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or related field (Ph.D. preferred).
• 10+ years of experience in an engineering product development environment OR a Ph.D. in a related field is acceptable in lieu of years of experience.
• Deep understanding of hyperscaler requirements, data center architectures, and transceiver technologies.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

A Ph.D. in a related field is acceptable as a substitute to total years of experience.

BE AWARE OF FRAUD: When applying for a job at Jabil you will be contacted via correspondence through our official job portal with a jabil.com e-mail address; direct phone call from a member of the Jabil team; or direct e-mail with a jabil.com e-mail address. Jabil does not request payments for interviews or at any other point during the hiring process. Jabil will not ask for your personal identifying information such as a social security number, birth certificate, financial institution, driver’s license number or passport information over the phone or via e-mail. If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, contact your local police department. Any scam job listings should be reported to whatever website it was posted in.

Jabil, including its subsidiaries, is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Accessibility Accommodation  

If you are a qualified individual with a disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Jabil.com/Careers site as a result of your disability. You can request a reasonable accommodation by sending an e-mail to Always_Accessible@Jabil.com with the nature of your request and contact information. Please do not direct any other general employment related questions to this e-mail. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to.#whereyoubelong