Research And Development Manager

We are currently supporting a leading chemical manufacturing company in the search for an R&D Manager to lead innovation and product development within their coatings and adhesives portfolio.

This role will be responsible for driving new product development projects from laboratory concept through to customer application, while managing and mentoring a small R&D team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage an R&D team of approximately 5 scientists/engineers
• Drive new product development and innovation projects from concept through lab development to commercialisation
• Oversee formulation and development of coatings and adhesive technologies
• Work closely with customers and internal teams to ensure solutions meet automotive and packaging industry requirements
• Provide technical guidance and strategic direction for R&D activities
• Support customer-facing technical discussions and ensure strong collaboration between R&D, production, and commercial teams

Requirements

• PhD in Chemistry or a related field
• 10+ years of experience in coatings or adhesives formulation and development
• Strong industry experience within automotive and/or packaging applications
• Proven team leadership or management experience
• Experience leading projects from lab scale through to industrial application and customer support
• Fluent in English

This is a great opportunity for an experienced coatings professional looking to step into a strategic leadership role within a dynamic chemical manufacturing environment.