R&D- Applications Development Manager

Sherwin-Williams•Greensboro, NC

About The Position

The R&D Manager, Commercial Applications leads the application laboratory and serves as the technical expert for product application, rheology, and performance optimization within the Industrial Wood Division. The role supports product development, customer implementation, application testing, and technical training. It collaborates with internal teams and external customers to validate products, improve processes, and promote adoption of Industrial Wood solutions. The manager also provides hands-on support during customer trials, addresses technical challenges, and ensures laboratory capabilities align with real-world manufacturing conditions. The position includes 20% travel and management of one or more team members. It involves contact with employees and access to confidential or proprietary information and other items of value. The company states that a criminal-history review is necessary to protect its business, operations, reputation, staff, and business relationships. The successful candidate will be required to sign an Employee Restrictive Covenant Agreement where permitted by law.

Requirements

Must be legally authorized to work in the country of application without now or future sponsorship for an employment visa or permanent residence status.
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math, or at least 10 years of professional Applications experience in lieu of a degree.
At least 5 years of management or leadership experience and ability to communicate effectively in a matrix environment across different organizational structures and physical locations.
Knowledge of conventional Industrial Wood Coatings flat-line application equipment, including reciprocal, fixed-head spray, roll, curtain-coat, and vacuum-coater equipment.
Knowledge of rheology and its use in coatings.
Knowledge of conventional solvent-borne products, including conversion varnishes, lacquers, and polyurethanes, as well as UV products.
Knowledge of conventional and UV waterborne product applications, as well as 100% solids UV.
Knowledge of key product-evaluation measurement techniques used during application, such as film thickness, gloss, and color.
Experience at customer application lines and performing line audits.
Computer skills, including Word, Excel, email, and video conferencing.
PowerPoint skills and experience presenting to customers.
Project management and scheduling experience.

Nice To Haves

10 years of applications experience.
Experience in a technical laboratory.
Knowledge of rheology as it pertains to wood coatings.
Proven ability to understand and use statistical analysis to interpret product-application data.
Understanding of typical manufacturing strategies for producing product.

Responsibilities

Provide testing support and guidance for stage-gate product development, product investigations, and internal and external product benchmarking.
Calculate, coordinate, and communicate personnel, substrates, application-equipment time, and material needs for multi-product benchmarking projects.
Complete application assessments for stage-gate projects across all technologies.
Complete application work and provide feedback for raw-material replacement, manufacturing-site change, rework, and technology-transfer projects.
Use knowledge of product performance to interpret coating-application results and provide feedback to the formulation team on new-product development.
Develop and validate Industrial Wood application procedures aligned with customer line audits.
Maintain current equipment and plan capital needs for new equipment.
Manage one or more team members, and coach and mentor team members to support timely project completion and career growth.
Maintain external scheduling communications with the Industrial Wood team.
Develop and deliver application training to internal and external customers at company and customer sites, including trade shows.
Develop and maintain customer line-audit documentation.
Schedule meetings to coordinate materials and substrates so testing and training follow defined processes and product specifications with minimal variation.
Troubleshoot on external customer lines, including without technical-laboratory assistance.
Gather information and design testing parameters to reproduce quality issues; provide feedback to Quality and R&D on product and application differences.
Conduct customer application trials and train local technical-service staff at Industrial Wood and customer sites, with or without technical-laboratory assistance.
Host customer visits and lead live product demonstrations using customer substrates; analyze results with key decision-makers to support approvals or targeted adjustments to application processes and product selection.
Consult on continuous-improvement initiatives for internal and external customers.
Advise the development laboratory on product selection for current and future product systems.
Consult on sales tools, including training manuals and brochures.