R&D Manager, Plastic Additives

Milliken & Company is a global manufacturing leader whose focus on materials science delivers tomorrow’s breakthroughs today. From industry-leading molecules to sustainable innovations, Milliken creates products that enhance people’s lives and deliver solutions for its customers and communities. Drawing on thousands of patents and a portfolio with applications across the textile, flooring, chemical and healthcare businesses, the company harnesses a shared sense of integrity and excellence to positively impact the world for generations. Discover more about Milliken’s curious minds and inspired solutions at Milliken.com and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

POSITION TITLE

Research & Development Manager, Plastics Additives

 

COMPANY OVERVIEW

This position falls within our Plastics Additives (PA) business, the flagship business unit of

Milliken’s Chemical Division.

 

POSITION OVERVIEW

This position is a key research and development leadership role in Milliken Chemical’s Plastics Additives Business reporting to the Global Director of Research and Development with management responsibility for a team of 15+ scientists, engineers, and technicians with responsibilities spanning discovery, chemical process development, piloting, scale-up, and analytical method development.   A key responsibility will be helping to organize and manage the research and product development project portfolio in coordination with technical and business leadership.  Helping to craft well-defined scope documents and provide oversight to project teams is a key deliverable.     

 

The ideal candidate will have a technical background in chemistry or chemical engineering, a successful track record of innovation and new product development, and experience in supervising R&D personnel.

 

The position is located at our corporate headquarters in Spartanburg, SC. Hours of work are typically Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm with occasional required travel.

 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute a healthy NPD project pipeline to achieve business growth objectives
• Support an innovation culture through both internal and external engagement
• Develop team members as technical professionals while managing for excellence
• Proactively engage with multiple projects as a sponsor, helping to allocate and adjust resources as required
• Guide teams on technical approaches and project plans, while ensuring they meet milestones
• Create and manage an annual budget (with the R&D Director)
• Provide guidance on improving laboratory capabilities to enhance pro