R&D Lab Manager

R&D Lab Manager

Location:

Omaha, NE

Schedule:

Onsite (5 days/week) Travel:
Up to 20%

Reports To:

Director of Innovation Direct Reports: 5-8 Technical Team Members

Position Overview

An industry-leading product development and manufacturing organization is seeking an experienced R&D Lab Manager to lead a high-performing technical team in Omaha, Nebraska.

This individual will provide leadership to a team of scientists and technical specialists while overseeing product development, troubleshooting, commercialization support, customer collaboration, and cross-functional project execution. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with a strong background in formulation science, product development, and team management who thrives in a fast-paced environment balancing innovation, operational excellence, and customer needs.

• Leadership & Team Development:
  Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 5-8 technical professionals. Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance culture. Provide coaching, performance management, and career development support. Promote agility and adaptability as customer and business priorities evolve.
• Product Development & Technical Leadership:
  Oversee formulation and product development activities across multiple product categories. Provide technical guidance related to product design, troubleshooting, optimization, and commercialization. Ensure products meet performance, quality, cost, and manufacturing requirements. Support technical problem-solving and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Project Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration:
  Manage multiple development projects simultaneously. Collaborate with Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Sourcing, Commercial, and Innovation teams. Track project timelines, milestones, and key performance indicators. Drive communication across departments to ensure successful project execution.
• Customer & Technical Support:
  Partner directly with customers to understand project requirements and objectives. Present technical updates, recommendations, and solutions to stakeholders. Support customer-facing technical discussions when needed. Assist business development and commercial teams with technical expertise and product knowledge.
• Scale-Up & Manufacturing Support:
  Work closely with manufacturing and engineering teams to transition products from development into production. Support pilot runs, process validation activities, and troubleshooting efforts. Ensure smooth commercialization and product launch execution.
• Documentation & Compliance:
  Maintain accurate technical documentation and project records. Ensure compliance with applicable quality, safety, and regulatory requirements. Review testing data and communicate findings to internal stakeholders. Support stability testing, validation activities, and continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Stay current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and relevant regulations. Identify opportunities for process optimization and efficiency improvements. Support special projects and strategic initiatives as assigned.

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Cosmetic Science, Material Science, or a related technical field. Minimum of 10 years of product formulation and development experience. Minimum of 3-5 years of direct leadership experience managing technical teams. Experience leading teams of multiple direct reports. Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Proven experience managing projects from concept through commercialization.

Strong organizational and project management skills. Experience working with cross-functional stakeholders in a manufacturing environment.

Experience developing products across multiple categories or platforms. Background supporting customer-facing technical initiatives. Experience working in contract manufacturing, product development, or highly customized production environments. Knowledge of scale-up, commercialization, and manufacturing support processes. Experience with raw material optimization, cost reduction, and product improvement initiatives.

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Humility and strong team-first mentality
• Proven leadership capabilities
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong technical expertise
• Ability to lead through influence and collaboration
• Customer-focused mindset
• Adaptability in a fast-paced environment
• Passion for mentoring and developing technical talent

Working Conditions Full-time onsite role in Omaha, Nebraska. Laboratory, office, and production-floor collaboration environment. Occasional travel for customer meetings, industry events, and site visits. Requires ability to work hands-on with technical teams and support daily laboratory operations.

Why Candidates Are Interested Opportunity to lead an established and talented technical team. Significant visibility with…