What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Technology – Coatings Innovation position at Brightpath Associates LLC?
Job Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled Director of Technology to join our team. The Director of Technology is a key leadership position with primary responsibilities for the development of next generation industrial coating technologies, current formula modification for maintenance and business growth opportunities, plant support, quality and assisting regulatory functions across two labs and manufacturing sites, located in Sheboygan, WI.
Key Responsibilities
Development:
- Responsible for managing R&D personnel and lab footprints at two sites for the development of next generation liquid water-based, solvent-based and radiation-cure technologies.
- Work closely with supply partners in the development of novel chemistries to enable competitively differentiated value selling efforts.
- Identify opportunities to expand intellectual property.
- Execute statistically sound experimentation practices.
- Use of Design for Six Sigma concepts and stage gate project management techniques to reduce project cycle-time and first run capable formulations.
- Collaborate with cross-functional team leaders to ensure next generation technologies that deliver targeted customer value and are sustainable across supply-chain, manufacturing.
- Manage and execute capital expenditures to support customer alignment and new technology as well as improve efficiency and/or quality of product development efforts.
Maintenance of Business:
- Formula modifications to meet unique customer requests of performance for solution, application and film properties.
- Color match to meet customer requests.
- Support a business model of high degree of customization to meet individual customer requirements.
Plant Support:
- Troubleshoot manufacturing issues with batch processing.
- Support manufacturing team with process efficiency, new equipment project management and drive for cycle-time reduction, quality improvement and first run capable formulations.
Quality Management:
- Problem solving to resolve customer and field complaints.
- Manage all aspects of product quality.
- Monthly report out of COPQ (Cost of Poor Quality) and continuous quality improvement using LSS tools and DMAIC problem solving techniques.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in STEM field required, master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience managing Research and Development teams.
- Minimum 10 years of coatings experience, industrial coatings preferred.
- LSS certified to Green Belt level certification required, Black Belt preferred.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with diverse teams.
- Proficient in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Willing to travel up to 30% of the year.
