Vice President of Applied Research – Creative Engineering
Input Output (IOHK)
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Remote
Location: Remote • 🇺🇸 United States
Visit company websiteJob Level
Lead
About the role
- Provide senior enterprise-wide leadership to ensure that research investment is converted into tangible business impact and scalable solutions.
- Set the vision, strategy, and operating model for ARC to triage requests, commission prototypes and technical analyses.
- Recommend build-versus-outsource approaches that best serve IOG’s ventures and product teams.
- Ensure that prototyping and solution validation are carried out with clear objectives and measurable outcomes.
- Deliver decision-ready outputs that reduce risk and accelerate time-to-market.
- Build and continuously improve a repeatable, scalable operating model that can flex with organizational growth.
- Embed rigorous scientific and engineering methodology, transparent governance, and measurable KPIs.
- Collaborate with Research, Technical Intelligence, Product, Engineering, and Venture leadership.
Requirements
- 15+ years of progressive experience in applied research, product incubation, or innovation management, including significant senior leadership experience at VP or equivalent level.
- Demonstrated success in commissioning and managing rapid-prototyping initiatives that move research concepts to market impact.
- Strong background in computer science, engineering, or a related technical discipline; a PhD or Master’s is typical and strongly preferred but not a strict requirement.
- Proven ability to design and scale operating models that balance innovation throughput with quality and governance.
- Track record of partnering across research, engineering, and product organisations to deliver validated prototypes and actionable strategic recommendations.
- Proficiency in applying AI/ML to accelerate applied research and prototyping, and in identifying opportunities where AI can create leverage for new ventures and products.
- Proven ability to manage budgets and resources effectively in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
- Strategic and systems thinking – anticipates technology trends and integrates them into innovation and product strategies.
- Innovation leadership – guides rapid prototyping and solution validation, ensuring measurable outcomes within defined innovation cycles.
- Research-to-market integration – translates foundational research and technical intelligence into business-ready prototypes and insights.
- Governance and operational excellence – designs and runs a regulated commissioning model with transparent intake, prioritisation, and resource allocation.
- Analytical and synthesis capability – evaluates diverse technical inputs and market signals to provide clear build-versus-outsource recommendations. Applies advanced AI/ML techniques to analyse complex datasets and derive insights that inform build-versus-outsource recommendations
- Executive communication and influence – conveys complex technical and strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders in a concise, actionable way.
- Organisational leadership – builds and scales a high-performing, cross-disciplinary team and instils a culture of disciplined experimentation and accountability.
- Cross-functional collaboration – works seamlessly with research, product, engineering, and venture teams to embed knowledge and accelerate market impact.
- Data-driven decision making – defines and tracks KPIs for innovation cycle performance, adoption of ARC outputs, and portfolio impact.
- Adaptability and resilience – operates effectively in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment, adjusting priorities and resourcing as demand from ventures scales.
Benefits
- Remote work
- Laptop reimbursement
- New starter package to buy hardware essentials (headphones, monitor, etc)
- Learning & Development opportunities
- Competitive PTO
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard skills
applied researchproduct incubationinnovation managementrapid-prototypingAI/MLoperating modelsbudget managementdata analysistechnical intelligenceKPI tracking
Soft skills
strategic thinkinginnovation leadershipexecutive communicationcross-functional collaborationanalytical capabilityadaptabilityresilienceorganizational leadershipinfluencesynthesis capability
Certifications
PhDMaster’s