TSE CASE R&D Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Summary : 

The R&D Manager is responsible for managing the company's research and development activities, with primary emphasis on polyurethane formulation development and scale-up for toll manufacturing customers. This position leads the development, evaluation, and optimization of customer-specific formulations and oversees the successful transition of laboratory-developed products into commercial manufacturing.

Working closely with customers, Operations, Sales, Purchasing, and Quality, the R&D Manager translates customer requirements into practical, scalable, and commercially viable formulations. This role manages R&D projects from initial technical evaluation through formulation development, production scale-up, and customer qualification, ensuring that projects meet technical requirements, established timelines, and business objectives.

The R&D Manager is also responsible for leading, developing, and mentoring R&D staff, allocating resources across projects, and ensuring the department delivers technical solutions that support customer satisfaction, revenue growth, cost savings, and the company's long-term business objectives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (included, not limited to):

• Lead the transition of new and modified polyurethane formulations from laboratory development through pilot trials, process validation, and full-scale commercial production.
• Partner directly with customers to understand technical requirements, product performance expectations, processing needs, and commercial objectives.
• Translate customer concepts, specifications, and performance targets into laboratory development plans and commercially viable formulations.
• Lead formulation development, raw material evaluations, performance testing, troubleshooting, and product optimization.
• Identify opportunities to expand the company's technical capabilities, product offerings, and toll manufacturing business.
• Establish project priorities based on customer commitments, business growth opportunities, technical feasibility, and expected financial returns.
• Collaborate with Chemical Process Engineering and Operations to establish manufacturing procedures, process parameters, quality controls, and acceptance criteria for new products.
• Troubleshoot scale-up challenges, investigate deviations between laboratory and production results, and implement corrective actions to achieve consistent product performance.
• Identify and mitigate technical, operational, safety, and quality risks associated with new formulations and process changes.
• Serve as a senior technical resource for polyurethane toll manufacturing customers, building strong working relationships with customer technical teams, chemists, engineers, and decision makers.
• Serve as a technical resource for commercial production, providing guidance on formulation-related issues, troubleshooting production challenges, and recommending adjustments to ensure consistent product quality, performance, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Lead technical discussions regarding new product development, formulation modifications, process requirements, product specifications, and manufacturing feasibility.
• Manage both the Analytical and R&D laboratories.
• Approve Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for new chemical raw materials.
• Utilize strong, professional communication (oral and written), organizational, and leadership skills.
• Foster open communication and collaboration within the team, working together to develop effective, team-based solutions to issues as they arise. This position requires the ability to work in an environment with rapidly changing priorities.

Teamwork is essential for TSE’s continued success, so Teamwork is an essential function of every employee’s job. Teamwork drives positive results every day. Teamwork promotes positive customer relations and results in exceeding the expectations of our customers. Teamwork benefits every employee since it grows our business and increases our sales. With Teamwork, we all succeed. Without it, we all suffer. Teamwork with co-workers in the same department is just the beginning. Teamwork with every other employee, department and division is the Teamwork that is required to succeed. WE ARE TSE.

SAFETY TRAINING: To perform this job successfully, an individual must complete and maintain Safety Training according to the Safety Training Matrix.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Masters in Organic Chemistry with a minimum of two years of related work experience.  

• Three to five years of experience specific to chemical formulations, and strong understanding of polyurethanes.  

• Working knowledge of analytical lab devices, such as the Brookfield viscometer, FTIR, GPC, and titration equipment.  

• Demonstrated understanding and familiarity with applicable government regulations and general chemistry guidelines.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

In-depth working knowledge of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), and toluene diisocyanate (TDI) chemistries, reactive hot melt chemistry, and raw material offsets.   

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Minimum of five years of broad technical experience, including three to five years of professional experience in an industrial R&D environment.  

• Five to seven years of experience specific to chemical formulations, and strong understanding of polyurethanes.  

• Proficiency in chemistry mathematics, biology, and engineering principles, and chemical mixing technology.

MANAGERIAL EXPERIENCE 

Two or more years’ experience in managing complex projects and managing and mentoring technical personnel. These experiences should be gained in areas of R&D and should include a minimum of two years in R&D management. 

SAFETY TRAINING

To perform this job successfully, an individual must complete and maintain Safety Training according to the Safety Training Matrix. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the core job responsibilities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the core job responsibilities. Normal demands of an office work environment.

Note: This position requires applicants to successfully pass a pre-employment, as well as an annual pulmonary function test, (PFT). This position may expose the employee to isocyanates which are chemicals known to be respiratory irritants and sensitizers. While TSE provides personal protective equipment, (PPE) to its employees working around such chemicals, the most current and best available medical data indicate that individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions including but not limited to asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and the like are at high risk of experiencing serious, and possibly fatal reactions to isocyanates, even at concentrations below the legally

permissible exposure level (PEL). Therefore, due to this direct threat to their safety, TSE does not hire individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions to work in this 

position. Likewise, TSE does not employ individuals who smoke substances of any kind, to work in this position.