VP R&D

Vice President of Research and Development

Location:

Wilmington, MA; onsite, hybrid, or fully remote.

Status:
Full-Time.

Reports To:

CEO.

FLSA Status:
Exempt / Salaried. Management Position:
Yes.

At Kovalus Separation Solutions (KSS), we are dedicated to transforming the landscape of separation technologies by leveraging synergies across membrane filtration, ion exchange, evaporation, drying, and other advanced process technologies. Our solutions support customers in the food and beverage, dairy, life science, and industrial markets by enabling product concentration and purification, removal of contaminants, recycling of valuable process chemicals, production of high‑purity water, and treatment of wastewater for safe discharge or reuse.

The Vice President, Research and Development will lead Kovalus’ membrane innovation strategy, overseeing the development, scale‑up, and lifecycle management of advanced membrane products. This role is responsible for translating market needs and strategic objectives into differentiated technologies that strengthen competitive advantage across water, wastewater, and industrial applications.

The Director of R&D will manage multidisciplinary teams spanning membrane development, module design, pilot‑to‑manufacturing transition, while working closely with Operations, Product Management, Commercial, and Regulatory functions.

Manage the Kovalus R&D Organization

• Manage the Membrane R&D and Product Development resources to accomplish company strategic goals using innovation across membrane and module design.
• Use effective project management practices, with clear deliverables, project schedule, and regular stakeholder communication.

Lead R&D Strategy, Portfolio, and Organizational Excellence

• Set and execute the membrane innovation roadmap, aligning people, platforms, and programs to company strategy and growth priorities.
• Establish portfolio governance and disciplined execution via stage‑gate or fast‑track processes, with clear deliverables, resource plans, risk management, and proactive stakeholder communication.
• Own the intellectual property strategy and portfolio (patents, trade secrets, and freedom‑to‑operate), ensuring defensible differentiation and value creation.
• Identify and pursue external technology opportunities (partnerships, licensing, M&A) to accelerate roadmap delivery and expand technical capabilities.

Manufacturing Support

• Allocate resources for routine manufacturing support and troubleshooting, new product release, and qualification of alternate raw materials.
• Allocate resources and technical expertise to ensure stable, scalable manufacturing operations, with focus on:
  • Qualification of alternate raw materials and suppliers, including test plans, acceptance criteria, and documentation to maintain product performance and compliance.
  • New product releases—supporting manufacturing readiness, process validation, work instructions, and smooth handoff from development to production.

Commercial Coordination & Product Launch Enablement

• Partner with the Product Management group and Commercial leaders to ensure R&D investments translate into market impact, with focus on:
  • Defining R&D priorities based on commercial need—translate voice‑of‑customer, market insights, and business cases into clear product requirements, target cost/performance, and an executable innovation roadmap.
  • Launching new products—drive cross‑functional alignment on development timelines, validation plans, and commercialization readiness to enable successful product releases.

• PhD or MSc. in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemistry, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in membrane technology, separations, or advanced materials
• 5+ years in a senior R&D leadership role managing multidisciplinary teams
• Deep technical expertise in membrane materials, module design, and separation processes
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven track record of commercializing membrane products at scale
• Strong understanding of pilot testing, manufacturing scale‑up, and quality systems
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks…