Spacelabs opens larger Edinburgh R&D base in £8.7m expansion
Spacelabs Healthcare has moved into larger premises at Edinburgh Park as part of an £8.7 million investment that will create 30 research and development jobs in the Scottish capital.
The US-owned medical technology company has relocated from Moray Place, where it previously operated, to a refurbished office and laboratory facility four times the size of its former premises.
The expansion is supported by a £3.1 million Scottish Enterprise grant and will take Spacelabs’ Edinburgh R&D workforce from 22 to 52 employees.
New Edinburgh Park facility opens
The new premises at 7 Lochside Avenue provide approximately 843 square metres of office and laboratory space.
Spacelabs has operated in Edinburgh for almost 40 years, developing technology for its international healthcare business. The company is part of Nasdaq-listed OSI Systems.
The official opening was attended by senior executives from Spacelabs and its parent company, alongside representatives from Scottish Enterprise and the US Consulate.
While the move into the larger facility has been completed, recruitment for the expanded research team is continuing.
The new positions will focus mainly on software engineering and cybersecurity, two areas that play a central role in developing modern patient monitoring equipment.
Edinburgh team developing hospital monitoring systems
Spacelabs develops patient monitoring and diagnostic cardiology technology used by healthcare providers. Its Edinburgh operation is part of Scotland’s life sciences sector, with research focused on software and cybersecurity for medical equipment.
Its current R&D programme includes three products: Rainier Central Station, Rainier Universal Monitor, and Nightingale Telemetry.
The company is developing systems that can share patient monitoring information across intensive care, operating theatres, hospital wards, and care delivered at home.
The work aims to allow clinical teams to monitor patients across different care settings without relying on disconnected systems.
Recruitment and Scottish university links
Speaking at the official opening, Spacelabs president Wilson Constantine said the company had initially been concerned about how quickly it could recruit suitable employees in Edinburgh.
However, he told Daily Business that the response from applicants had been stronger than expected, both in terms of recruitment speed and candidate quality.
Spacelabs already works with Edinburgh Napier University on graduate placements and cybersecurity. It is also developing links with the University of Edinburgh, including engagement with students about future opportunities.
The company is considering further growth of 20–30% in Edinburgh, although no additional jobs have been formally announced beyond the initial 30 positions.
The investment forms part of a wider UK development programme involving Spacelabs and its parent company.
Sources: Daily Business, Scottish Enterprise, and Invest in Edinburgh.
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