RD&E Director, Dishmachine Program – Institutional North America

Ecolab Inc. • Eagan, MN

4d • $137,700 - $206,500 • Hybrid

About The Position

Want to build a brighter, bolder future and cultivate your career? Join Ecolab’s Institutional RD&E team and help create a world in which we all thrive. We are seeking a Director, Dishmachine RD&E – Institutional North America to lead the strategy, new product development, and lifecycle management of Ecolab’s dishmachine, dispensing, and connected equipment portfolio. This high-impact leadership role will shape innovation for a significant North America business by integrating equipment, chemistry, digital connectivity, customer insights, and field execution to deliver measurable value for customers across foodservice, hospitality, healthcare, education, and related markets.
In this role, you will partner across RD&E, Marketing, Digital, Field Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, and Commercial teams to deliver solutions that improve customer outcomes, enable operational efficiency, support sustainability goals, and strengthen Ecolab’s leadership across institutional warewashing.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Science, Product Development, or a related technical discipline
• 5–7+ years of experience in RD&E, product development, engineering, equipment development, or related technical leadership
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and delivering complex technical programs from concept through commercialization
• Demonstrated ability to influence across functions, manage priorities, and communicate effectively with technical and business stakeholders
• Ability to travel up to 15%

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Science, Business, or a related field.
• Experience with connected equipment, IoT-enabled products, embedded systems, digital platforms, or data-driven service models.
• Experience leading equipment, hardware, dispensing, or appliance product portfolios.
• Strong understanding of customer validation, field testing, reliability engineering, quality systems, and lifecycle management.
• Proven ability to build talent, lead through ambiguity, and create an inclusive, safety-focused team culture.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the North America RD&E strategy for dishmachine, dispensing, and connected equipment platforms, aligning innovation priorities with customer needs, market opportunities, and business growth objectives.
• Own the end-to-end portfolio roadmap, including new product development, platform lifecycle management, technology advancement, cost optimization, reliability, serviceability, sustainability, and long-term value creation.
• Translate customer insights, field experience, service data, and market trends into differentiated dishmachine and digital solutions that strengthen Ecolab’s leadership in institutional warewashing.
• Establish clear portfolio priorities, investment recommendations, technical milestones, risk mitigation plans, and governance routines to ensure disciplined execution and enterprise-level accountability.
• Champion customer validation, field testing, launch readiness, and post-launch performance management to ensure solutions deliver measurable impact in real-world operating environments.
• Build, develop, and engage a high-performing technical organization, fostering a culture of safety, quality, inclusion, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Influence senior stakeholders through concise, data-driven communication on portfolio progress, business impact, resource needs, risks, and strategic recommendations.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits consistent with Ecolab programs.
• Opportunity to lead a highly visible innovation portfolio within a growth-oriented global company.
• Ability to shape the future of connected dishmachine and dispensing solutions for customers across North America.
• Collaboration with talented technical, digital, commercial, and field teams focused on solving meaningful customer challenges.
• A culture that values safety, innovation, inclusion, continuous improvement, and career development.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director