R&D Development Manager

R&D Development Manager – Transportation leading Americhem’s R&D initiatives for the transportation market segment, translating strategic growth priorities into scalable technology platforms and differentiated new products.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s or advanced degree (Ph.D. or M.S.) in Polymer Science, Materials Science, Chemistry, or related field.
• Experience:
  
  8+ years in product development or technical management, ideally in the plastics, materials, or additives industry, with a strong understanding of the assigned market segment’s technical and commercial landscape.
• Skills:
  
  Technical expertise in formulation, material design, and product testing relevant to the assigned market; project management and cross‑functional coordination experience; strong communication and leadership capabilities, including team supervision and external presentation.
• Travel:
  Periodic travel (up to 20%) to R&D sites, manufacturing plants and customer locations as needed.

• Lead the development of differentiated technology platforms through the evaluation of new materials, additive systems, or formulations that meet segment‑specific performance, regulatory, and sustainability requirements.
• Oversee design of experiments, prototype creation, performance testing, and product qualification.
• Collaborate with the Research, Technical Services, and Process Engineering teams to ensure feasibility and scale‑up readiness.
• Follow Management of Change protocols when implementing changes or improvements to technology platforms or formulations.

• Supervise a team of development engineers; assign responsibilities, monitor progress, and provide technical guidance.
• Ensure project timelines, deliverables, and quality expectations are met consistently.
• Utilize Americhem’s stage‑gate process and innovation systems to manage project visibility and execution rigor.
• Track key performance metrics / project milestones and continuously improve development workflows for efficiency and speed‑to‑market.
• Interface regularly with Global Market Managers to align development roadmaps with commercial strategies and customer needs.
• Coordinate with Regional Design Teams for technology transfer, technical documentation, and application‑specific adaptation.
• Partner with customer to support “high, wide and deep” relationships; present development capabilities and gather application insights for customer needs.

• Provide technical input to strategic plans and segment growth initiatives.
• Participate in industry specific organizations and keep informed of global technical trends relevant to the segment.
• Monitor competitive technologies and support IP activities in partnership with the Research & IP Strategy team.

• Talent Development – mentor team members and support professional growth aligned with Americhem’s talent strategy.
• Knowledge Management – ensure robust documentation of formulations, trial outcomes, and platform evolution for global adaptation.
• Sustainability Integration – embed sustainability targets into platform designs (e.g., recyclability, bio‑based content, durability).

• Technically driven and commercially aware, with a passion for innovation.
• Collaborative, agile leader who thrives in a matrixed environment.
• Organized and proactive, with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Confident communicator, both written and verbal, with external and internal stakeholders.
• Exceptional problem‑solving skills.

The safety of our employees takes precedence over all other priorities. All employees are expected to follow Americhem’s current safety protocols, which may evolve over time in response to changing conditions. It is each employee’s responsibility to stay informed and comply with the most up-to-date practices as communicated by the Company.

Americhem is committed to maintaining world‑class quality standards across all operations. All employees are responsible for supporting the principles and requirements of applicable quality systems, including ISO 9001 at all facilities. Depending on site, this may also include ISO 13485, ISO 14001, and ISO 17025. Coordination of ISO 17025 accreditation activities includes developing, modifying, verifying, and validating methods; performing tests and calibration methods;

analyzing results, issuing statements of conformity or opinions and interpretations; reporting, reviewing, and authorizing results. Regardless of certification or accreditation, all team members are expected to follow disciplined processes that ensure consistency, traceability, and compliance with customer and regulatory requirements.