Polymer Compounds NPD Manager

Responsabilities

• Responsible for the S&T projects’ execution and the development of the necessary technologies, materials understanding and products related to the projects she/he is in charge.
• Define development lab program and perform lab studies to support the project developments and provide comprehensive lab reports and presentations
• Accountable for resources used to deliver at expected performance & time & cost new product solutions.
• Maintain a close coordination and alignment with the other projects’ stakeholders – in particular outside S&T-, challenge them as needed on their input, to ensure an efficient NPD process from idea until post launch.
• Coordinate smoothly with her/his peers the allocation of polymer S&T lab resources in compliance with own deadlines and overall team priorities.
• Seek S&T Process team support, in particular when available technologies represent a hurdle to new product design
• Keep his/her awareness on technologies/products/markets evolution through continuous acquisition of external data (litterature review, conferences, webinars...)
• Perform lab studies to support the TAR (Technical Assistance Request) process in a timely manner.
• Beyond customers’ interactions, pro-actively interact with her/his other partners in the ecosystem :
  • Act as “Hub and spoke” with APAC and AM regions
  • Nurture relationships with Academic world, Private labs to facilitate as needed outsourcing.
  • Drive lab equipments acquisition, commissioning and maintenance for her/his perimeter

Key deliverables

• Pro-actively fuel our ideation process and our NPD pipeline
• Establish the product specification datasheet and contribute to product launch kit under the lead of Marketing
• Propose mineral solutions for unmet customer needs
• Report in a timely manner progress to N+1, Mngt team and peers (monthly activity, research progress, Accolade…)
• Produce scientific / technical articles to grow Imerys visibility through communication in professional media
• Propose understanding the structure-properties relationships of polymer matrix and minerals / additives
• Propose and draft documents (invention report, patent…) to protect our intellectual property
• Contribute directly to S&T budget preparation (capex, external fees)
• Disseminate across our polymer community findings and learnings from readings / conferences / meetings...
   

Experience & Competencies

• Key Scientific & Technical Competencies
  • You bring theoretical and practical expert competences in polymer compounds and ideally you demonstrate a proven R&D experiences in rubber and plastics materials and their processing applying SOP / GLP (Good Laboratory Practice).
  • Intimate with leading NPD project at R&D perimeter and embedding a value in use/price positioning approach at an early stage of project life.
  • Acquaintance with project management role overarching all the workstreams from ideation to product launch is a plus
  • Knowledges in mineral additives for polymer compounds and surface functionalization is a plus
  • Skills and practice of Design of Experiment (DOE), Principal Analysis Component (ACP), root cause analysis is a plus
     
• Soft Skills
  • You have a visionary and innovative mindset
  • Natural appetite to propose solutions, to “brake the code” of materials structure-properties relationship
  • Provide clear instructions to Technicians and make sure those instructions are understood
  • Ability to inspire, motivate, help Technicians growing. Stimulate their curiosity and engagement by explaining the crucial link between lab work deliverables and customers’ needs.
  • Strong interpersonal skills and a proven ability to work in a transversal environment
  • Ability to convince (speech & presentation) both Imerys and external audiences
  • Deliver results in a timely manner and in a challenging environment
  • Transparency, reliable results, sharp & clear written and spoken communication

• Education
  • Msc, preferably PhD, in Polymer Science, Chemistry, Materials Science or Chemical Engineering,
  • Demonstrating a degree within the area of polymer compounds will be much appreciated.
  • A first experience in minerals additives for polymer compounds is considered as a plus but not mandatory

• Other requirements:
  • Work in an international environment is a plus
  • Fluent English written, spoken… second EU language appreciated (German, Italian, French)
  • Mobility for regular short business trips in Europe (~20%) and occasionnally outside of EU.

• Ideal profile
  • Material Scientist, Technical Service, New Product Developper already acting (+7years) in the rubber value chain and with a natural customer oriented mindset.

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