Chief Technology Officer (CTO) - Neurotechnology - Contract-to-hire

Our client is an innovative US-based NeuroTech company developing a wearable EEG platform, combining advanced medical device hardware, embedded systems, software and AI/ML.

Having completed early feasibility work on its EEG acquisition technology and machine learning models, the company is now progressing into integrated product development. They are seeking an experienced Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to take ownership of the complete technical platform, lead multidisciplinary engineering teams and oversee development towards design freeze, verification and validation, and clinical builds.

This opportunity is structured as a contract-to-hire position, initially involving a fractional commitment of approximately 20–30 hours per week, with an initial 90-day engagement and mutual review. The intention is to transition into a permanent, full-time CTO position following the company's seed funding round, with salary and equity expectations agreed in advance.

The role

• Taking full ownership of the technical platform, overseeing the development and integration of medical device hardware, embedded firmware, software, wearable technology and machine learning.
• Defining and executing the overall technical strategy, architecture and development roadmap, ensuring alignment with clinical, regulatory and commercial objectives.
• Leading multidisciplinary engineering teams across electrical engineering, firmware, mechanical engineering, software development and AI/ML.
• Managing external engineering partners, product design firms and development vendors, ensuring effective technical delivery, coordination and accountability.
• Overseeing the development of wearable EEG hardware, including sensors, analog front ends (AFE), electrodes, embedded electronics, wireless communication and battery-powered systems.
• Leading wearable product development, including mechanical design, industrial design, skin interfaces, adhesives, ergonomics, usability and design for manufacturing (DFM).
• Taking responsibility for software platform architecture across mobile applications, cloud infrastructure, web platforms, data pipelines and cybersecurity.
• Overseeing machine learning development and integration, working closely with ML specialists to establish technical priorities, deployment strategies, performance requirements and validation processes.
• Establishing and maintaining medical device design controls, including design history files, requirements traceability, risk management, verification and validation activities.
• Ensuring technical development aligns with relevant medical device standards, including IEC 60601, IEC 62304, ISO 13485 and FDA regulatory expectations.
• Developing and managing an integrated product development roadmap covering hardware, firmware, software and ML milestones through design freeze, V&V and initial clinical builds.
• Assessing existing engineering capabilities and external partners, identifying technical gaps and building the appropriate engineering structure as the company scales.
• Leading technical design reviews, resolving cross-functional engineering challenges and ensuring effective integration between hardware, software and machine learning systems.
• Supporting design transfer, manufacturing readiness, supplier selection and the transition towards contract manufacturing.
• Working closely with the CEO and Clinical, Regulatory and Quality leadership to support technical decision-making, regulatory readiness and overall product development.
• Supporting fundraising activities and investor due diligence by communicating the company's technical strategy, development milestones, engineering capabilities and execution plans.

Required experience

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related technical discipline.
• At least 10 years of experience in medical device product development, ideally involving complex, connected or wearable medical technologies.
• Proven experience in a senior technical leadership position, such as CTO, VP Engineering, VP R&D, Head of Product Development or equivalent.
• Demonstrated experience taking at least one medical device from early prototype through design controls, verification and validation to FDA 510(k) or De Novo clearance.
• Strong experience developing wearable or body-worn medical devices, including physiological sensors, analog front ends, embedded electronics, batteries and skin-contact interfaces.
• Broad technical understanding across hardware, firmware and software development, with experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams and integrating complex medical device systems.
• Strong understanding of embedded systems, wireless communication, signal acquisition, sensor integration and medical device electronics.
• Experience overseeing software development, including mobile applications, cloud infrastructure, data management, cybersecurity and regulated software development processes.
• Working knowledge of machine learning and AI integration within medical devices, including model deployment, performance validation and translation of algorithms into product requirements.
• Strong understanding of FDA medical device development requirements, design controls, risk management, requirements traceability and verification and validation.
• Familiarity with relevant standards including IEC 60601, IEC 62304, ISO 13485, ISO 14971 and applicable usability engineering requirements.
• Experience managing external engineering consultants, product development firms, manufacturing partners and multidisciplinary technical suppliers.
• Demonstrated ability to develop technical roadmaps, establish engineering priorities, manage development milestones and make complex architectural decisions.
• Experience working in early-stage medical device companies or start-up environments, with the ability to balance strategic leadership and hands-on technical execution.
• Experience supporting product industrialisation, design transfer, manufacturing scale-up or contract manufacturing would be advantageous.
• Previous experience developing EEG systems, neurological monitoring technologies, epilepsy devices, neurophysiological sensors or related NeuroTech products would be highly desirable.
• Experience with edge AI, on-device machine learning, physiological signal processing or real-time medical device algorithms would be beneficial.
• Strong leadership, communication, stakeholder management and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work directly with executive leadership, investors and clinical partners.
• US-based candidates preferred, with flexibility for hybrid working and regular on-site collaboration.

Engagement structure

• Initial arrangement: Fractional CTO, approximately 20–30 hours per week, billed according to actual hours worked.
• Initial term: 90-day engagement, with defined technical objectives and a mutual review at the end of the period.
• Long-term opportunity: Intended conversion to a permanent, full-time CTO position following successful seed funding.
• Compensation: Full-time salary and equity expectations agreed in advance, with an equity grant during the fractional period credited towards the full-time grant upon conversion.
• Location: US-based, with hybrid working considered and regular on-site collaboration potentially required.
• Reporting line: Directly to the CEO.

As a Recruitment Consultant at Aspire Life Sciences, Taylor Lyons specialises in technical and executive hiring across Medical Devices, Neurotechnology, AI, and DeepTech, partnering with innovative organisations across Europe, North America and Asia.