Manager, R&D

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Manage Team (40%)
  • Prioritize and allocate work
  • Delegate and allocate manageable goals to employees
  • Clearly define project responsibilities and performance expectations
  • Set clear priorities for team and individuals
  • Allocate resources (time, money and people)
  • Assess and Reward Performance
  • Provide timely, fair and measured performance assessments and feedback
  • Provide reward and recognition for performance
  • Address performance concerns and hold team accountable
  • Build Team Culture
  • Consistently hold employees accountable for upholding the organizations values
  • Proactively manage unhealthy conflict among employees
  • Foster an open environment where employees feel able to provide constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement
  • Communicate and Motivate
  • Communicate regular business updates
  • Convey information in a clear and timely manner
  • Listen carefully to the views and opinions of peers and colleagues
• Manage Team (25%)
  • Devise and conduct experiments to solve increasingly complex problems
  • Evaluate and suggest new raw materials through regular communication with raw material suppliers
  • Review and perform competitive testing and analysis as required
  • Maintain a clean working laboratory environment as well as properly working equipment
  • Ensure that all instruments that required periodic calibration and validation requirements do so per laboratory calibration/validation procedures
  • Comply with all laboratory, company, State and Federal safety regulations
• Manage Team (20%)
  • Maintain cooperative, professional attitude with all LATICRETE employees and customers
  • Support Technical Services requests to evaluate field complaints in specific area
  • Support Operations in evaluating product inconsistencies & providing disposition
  • Participate in multi-disciplinary teams
  • Communicate results within R&D, cross-functional departments and Stage Gate Review meetings
  • Help organize and participate in field trials as required
  • Interact with end-use customers and contractors to understand product usage, limitations, and needs
  • Represent R&D at Tradeshows, Trade committees, Standardization authorities in US and around the world
  • Drive Cost Out Initiatives to ensure most economical production cost with respect to the expected performance of the product
  • Determine Quality Control parameters for product testing
• Data Analysis and Documentation (15%)
  • Responsible for documenting all work via approved methods
  • Share developments via occasional technical presentations
  • Independently process, analyze, and interpret results and data in specific area
  • Summarize ongoing work and findings to colleagues during department meetings
  • Coach the scientists and Chemists on procedures, train them to be independent performers/formulators

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Education and Experience: BS/MS in Chemistry, Material Science, Polymer Science or relevant Engineering discipline is required. 8+ years of product development experience. 5+ years demonstrated success leading team.
• Specialized Skills and Experience: Experience formulating products in a research and development lab environment in a specific area of the construction industry. Experience with Production/Operations, Product Management, QC, ISO processes, Analytical Chemistry, Product Development, Finance, Accounting and Marketing departments. Must be familiar with the process of researching patents, writing invention disclosures, and other publications within the industry. Demonstrated analytical ability in specific area, well organized, detail oriented, and systematic in documenting results. Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills in order to present and write reports. Ability to organize and present results in a clear concise manner. Must be able to analyze data independently and apply some specialized knowledge (e.g. DOE and statistical methods to solve problems). Must be a self-starter and able to multi-task.
• Computer skills: Intermediate to Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Outlook and other specialty software systems as required.
• Physical Requirements: Lift: Must be able to lift and/or carry a minimum of 50 pounds. Push/Pull: Must be able to push/pull 50 pounds. Standing: Must be able to stand at least 50% of the day. Sitting: Must be able to sit at least 50% of the day. Travel: May require some domestic travel as needed.