R&D Manager - Heat Pumps

Octopus Centre for Heating Technology is the hardware division of the Octopus Energy Group, one of the UK's leading energy suppliers. Based in Portadown, we develop and manufacture the air source heat pumps and associated hardware that Octopus Energy installs in homes across the country.

We’re changing the energy system globally, spearheading the transition to greener, cheaper energy through the installation of in-home technologies. Our team brings together deep technical expertise, commercial focus and a drive to move from idea to real-world product quickly.

We’re looking for an R&D Manager to lead the team responsible for developing our next generation of heat pump technology. This is a senior, hands-on leadership role, with ownership of the full development process - from initial design through testing, compliance and productionisation. You’ll set the technical direction for R&D, manage a team of engineers and technicians, and work closely with product, commercial and manufacturing colleagues to bring new products to market.

What You'll Do:

• Lead a team of engineers and technicians working on air source heat pumps and associated components across the full development lifecycle.

• Define and maintain the technical roadmap for heat pump R&D, balancing short-term delivery with longer-term product strategy.

• Work closely with the platform, firmware, and design teams to ensure hardware development is well-integrated with wider product and system decisions.

• Oversee the design, testing, and validation of heat pump hardware, including refrigeration circuits, controls, heat exchangers, and system integration.

• Lead component selection across the product, working with suppliers to evaluate and qualify parts that meet performance, cost, and reliability requirements.

• Manage the lab and field testing programme, drawing on data from real-world installations to inform product decisions.

• Lead compliance testing to relevant standards (MCS, CE/UKCA, EN 14511, F-Gas, ErP, etc.) and manage relationships with test houses and certification bodies.

• Specify, commission, and maintain test rigs and laboratory facilities to support the team's development and validation work.

• Monitor residential heat pump market trends and emerging technologies, using that knowledge to inform product direction and identify opportunities.

• Identify and manage technical risk throughout the development process, keeping projects on schedule in a demanding, fast-paced environment.

• Support the professional development of engineers and technicians within the team.

What You'll Need:

Essential:

• A graduate or postgraduate qualification in engineering (mechanical, electrical, or a closely related discipline).

• Proven experience managing an engineering team, including project delivery, workload planning, and team development.

• Substantial experience in heat pump, HVAC, or refrigeration product development, with a strong working knowledge of thermodynamics, system components, and design tradeoffs.

• A demonstrable track record of taking hardware products from concept through to market.

• Strong systems-level thinking, with the ability to work across mechanical, electrical, controls, and software domains.

• Experience working in a fast-paced development environment, with the ability to manage competing priorities and maintain delivery momentum.

• Clear and effective communication skills, including the ability to present technical information to non-technical audiences.

 

Desirable:

Experience with field-deployed products and using operational data to drive iterative improvement.

Familiarity with UK and EU regulatory requirements for heat pumps and low-carbon heating.

Background in design for manufacture, particularly for volume consumer hardware.