R&D Manager - Pharmaceuticals

Applied Laboratories, Inc. is a family-owned pharmaceutical manufacturer located in Columbus, Indiana. For more than 40 years, we have developed, manufactured, and packaged over-the-counter healthcare products for customers across the United States and internationally. We pride ourselves on quality, innovation, continuous improvement, and creating an environment where employees can make a meaningful impact.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated R&D Manager to lead product development initiatives, provide technical leadership, and help drive the future growth of our Research & Development function.

This is an excellent opportunity for a hands-on chemist who enjoys solving technical challenges, developing new products, mentoring others, and working closely with leadership to bring ideas from concept to commercialization.

What You'll Do

• Lead product development and formulation projects from concept through implementation
• Supervise, mentor, and develop a small team of R&D professionals
• Design experiments, analyze results, and provide technical recommendations
• Develop and improve formulations, products, and manufacturing processes
• Troubleshoot technical and formulation challenges
• Collaborate with Quality, Regulatory, and Operations teams
• Prioritize projects and resources to support business objectives
• Present findings and recommendations to leadership and customers
• Ensure compliance with laboratory, safety, quality, and regulatory requirements

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemistry or a related scientific field
• 5+ years of chemistry experience in manufacturing, industrial, product development, or research environments
• Leadership, project lead, or supervisory experience
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills

Preferred

• Product development or formulation experience
• Experience in pharmaceutical, OTC, personal care, or other regulated manufacturing environments
• Knowledge of quality and regulatory compliance requirements
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously

Why Join Applied Laboratories?

• Opportunity to lead high-impact R&D projects
• Direct visibility and interaction with company leadership
• Meaningful influence on product innovation and business growth
• Hands-on technical role with leadership responsibilities
• Stable, family-owned company with a collaborative culture
• Professional growth and development opportunities

If you're looking for an opportunity where your technical expertise, leadership abilities, and ideas will make a real impact, we'd love to hear from you.