Manager, R&D Lab

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Management Champaign, IL, US

8 days ago Requisition

University of Illinois Research Park (Urbana Champaign, IL)

Purpose Built Brands, rooted in a legacy dating back to Weiman, stands as a pioneer in crafting top-tier products for specialty surfaces. Our beloved brands, including Weiman, Goo Gone, Green Gobbler, Biokleen, Gonzo, Magic, Wright’s, Stone Care International, Urnex, Five Star, and Micro-Scientific, are preferred choices among consumers and seasoned professionals alike.

At PBB, we seek to hire employees who bring a level of engagement, drive, and performance that pushes business forward. We work together and are motivated by positive results, while continuously thriving in a scrappy environment. We believe our greatest assets are the talented and passionate employees who are motivated by our purposeful work. Our company may be 60 years old, but the real growth is just getting started.

The R&D Lab Manager provides hands‑on technical expertise while leading a small team of student interns and coordinating an off‑site lab located at the University of Illinois Research Park. This role owns day‑to‑day lab operations and capability (equipment readiness, materials, safety, documentation, and data integrity) and supports formulation work through bench execution, sample preparation, and testing as needed. The position partners primarily with the Gurnee‑based R&D organization and collaborates as needed with Quality and Regulatory to ensure compliant, well‑documented products and testing/claims support.

This role requires strong self‑direction, clear communication, and disciplined execution across locations, with periodic onsite presence at Gurnee R&D for critical work, trials, and team collaboration.

• Manage lab operations, including scheduling, sample management, supplies, equipment readiness, and method/record control.
• Provide technical leadership on experimental design and execution; perform and/or direct bench testing and troubleshoot formulation, process, and equipment issues.
• Lead, train, and mentor student interns (and other temporary/contract support as applicable), including onboarding, defining project scopes, providing day‑to‑day technical guidance, and reviewing data quality and deliverables.
• Plan and execute projects with the Gurnee‑based R&D team, aligning priorities, timelines, and deliverables; communicate risks, tradeoffs, and recommendations to stakeholders.
• Lead performance and analytical testing programs to support competitive assessments, product optimization, compliance needs, and claim substantiation; develop and maintain internal technical metrics/scorecards as needed.
• Support formulation development through bench work, sample preparation, and testing—helping translate requirements into stable, effective formulas.
• Ensure lab safety and compliance (cGMP/GLP, ISO as applicable), including training, audits/readiness, SOP adherence, and incident prevention/corrective actions.
• Document work clearly and compliantly, including lab notebooks/records, test methods, protocols, technical reports, and regulatory/customer documentation as needed.
• Collaborate with Regulatory and external partners to support ingredient/formula compliance, registrations, claims substantiation, and required testing.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

• Demonstrated experience leading and developing technical talent, including mentoring/coaching (e.g., student interns, technicians, or junior scientists) and setting clear priorities and deliverables.
• Hands‑on experience managing lab operations (equipment, supplies, calibration/maintenance coordination, sample retention, and documentation systems).
• Proven ability to collaborate cross‑functionally and communicate…