Engineering Manager - CAD/3D Research and Novel Algorithms

Dandy is transforming the massive and antiquated dental industry—an industry worth over $200B. Backed by some of the world’s leading venture capital firms, we’re on an ambitious mission to simplify and modernize every function of the dental practice through technology. As we expand our reach globally, Dandy is building the operating system for dental offices around the world—empowering clinicians and their teams with technology, innovation, and world-class support to achieve more for their practices, their people, and their patients.

About the Role

Dandy is making a significant investment in novel manufacturing, automation, and CAD/CAM techniques that will define the future of our industry. We are establishing a new Automation and CAD Software Research team dedicated to solving problems that have never been solved before. This team will provide exploratory and innovative solutions to our most complex challenges and partner with our physical R&D team, software application teams and manufacturing teams to rapidly scale them into production.

We are seeking an R&D Software Engineering Manager to build, lead, and inspire this new team. You will be at the heart of Dandy's innovation engine, setting the technical direction and fostering a culture of discovery, scientific rigor, and rapid learning. This is an important leadership role responsible for turning ambitious ideas into tangible solutions that create immense business value.

What You’ll Do

• Lead a high-performing team of R&D engineers, accountable for their performance, growth, and career development.

• Define the direction of your team by building its technical roadmap, aligning projects with strategic business goals.

• Drive the execution of complex R&D workstreams, from initial research and experimentation to production-ready solutions.

• Act as the bridge between innovation and execution, partnering closely with application and manufacturing teams to rapidly scale new technologies.

• Champion technical excellence, ensuring your team’s work is of the highest quality and operational standard.

• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning, creating a space for your team to experiment with an expectation of learning from both successes and failures.

• Cultivate a healthy and collaborative team environment that embodies Dandy’s values.

What we’re looking for

• 3+ years of engineering management experience, with a proven track record of leading and developing technical teams.

• Graduate-level degree (Master's or PhD) in Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience in an academic or industrial research setting.

• Strong background in advanced manufacturing concepts, including additive (e.g., 3D printing) and subtractive (e.g., CNC milling) modalities.

• Experience with CAD/CAM workflows, toolpath planning, and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles.

• Exposure to computer vision fundamentals and their practical applications.

• Demonstrated ability in innovation risk management and making impact-based prioritization decisions.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to articulate project timelines and complex technical challenges to various stakeholders.

• A passion for continuous learning and staying current with state-of-the-art developments in cad software, manufacturing and automation.

• Comfortable with ambiguity and skilled at navigating the path from unstructured problems to concrete solutions.

Work Environment and Location

This is a remote role with travel expectations to our US and Asia manufacturing sites, open to candidates located anywhere in the United States. To best facilitate collaboration with our teams in Europe, there is a preference for candidates who can work primarily within the Eastern Time (ET) zone.

Req ID: J-813

For full-time positions, Dandy offers a wide range of best-in-class, comprehensive, and inclusive benefits tailored to each country where we operate. Our local benefits packages typically include healthcare, dental, mental health support, parental planning resources, retirement savings options, and generous paid time off—ensuring our team members are supported no matter where they live and work.

Dandy is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture that celebrates authenticity to win as one. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, protected veteran status, citizenship or immigration status, or any other legally protected characteristics.

Dandy also fully complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We are dedicated to embracing challenges and creating an accessible, inclusive workplace for all individuals. If you require any accommodations for your interview or have any questions beforehand, rest assured that we will do everything we can to meet your needs. Visit Dandy Careers for more!