Role Overview
REACT is seeking a highly driven technical leader to guide product development, manage operational execution, mentor student innovators, and build a strong interdisciplinary technology pipeline. The ideal candidate should combine engineering depth, operational discipline, startup experience, and a strong sense of ownership. This role requires someone who can treat REACT like their own venture, ensuring both technical excellence and smooth day-to-day operations across multiple domains.
Key Responsibilities :
Technical Leadership & Innovation :
- Mentor students, fellows, faculty teams, and early-stage startups in prototype development, engineering validation, and technical problem-solving.
- Lead product development across domains such as mechanical, electrical, software, materials, energy, or any relevant technical area.
- Design and review experiments, lab tests, MVPs, and proof-of-concepts.
- Collaborate closely with the Social Innovation Lead to ensure solutions are socially viable, ethical, and field-aligned.
- Build and manage a network of technical mentors, industry partners, and innovation experts.
- Guide TRL progression, product refinement, and technical roadmap.
Operational Leadership :
Oversee day-to-day operations related to REACT labs, equipment, schedules, student workflows, and project logistics.Ensure smooth functioning of fabrication spaces, testbeds, and field environments.Coordinate procurement, inventory, equipment maintenance, documentation systems, and safety protocols.Manage task allocation, progress tracking, and operational milestones for students and internal teams.Support execution logistics for field immersions, deployments, exhibitions, demo days, and reviews.Work with institutional offices for approvals, budgeting, reporting, and compliance.Project & Ecosystem Execution :
Contribute to writing grant proposals, project pitches, and funding applications for technical projects.Lead or support the execution of funded R&D, innovation, or CSR-linked technical projects.Represent REACT within the engineering, academic, startup, and innovation ecosystem.Integrate social insights into engineering designs to ensure real-world adoption.Required Qualifications :
A Master’s degree in Engineering, Technology, Science, or Mathematics is strongly preferred.Candidates with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology / Science will also be considered if they have strong relevant experience in product development, innovation, or technical leadership.The candidate must hold at least one degree (Bachelor’s or Master’s) in a relevant technical discipline.Demonstrated ability to mentor student teams or lead technical projects is essential.Experience in operational management, lab / space coordination, or project execution will be considered a strong advantage.Desirable Qualifications :
PhD in Engineering or Technology.Experience in building or contributing to a startup.Experience leading government-funded, CSR-funded, or international R&D projects.Patents, publications, or product conversions.Exposure to interdisciplinary or community-based engineering work.Experience managing labs, makerspaces, or engineering operations.Essential Traits :
Strong ownership mindset; ability to run REACT as if it were their own venture.High adaptability, operational discipline, and problem-solving ability.Ability to collaborate across disciplines and manage diverse teams.Strong communication and networking skills.Commitment to meaningful field-based and socially relevant innovation.