Research and Development Manager

Protective Industrial Products•Wilkesboro, NC

10d

About The Position

The R&D Manager will be responsible for managing and directing all domestic development projects from concept to commercialization in partnership with the Product Management team. This person will also have the responsibility of managing all internal/external testing for domestically manufactured products and on-site lab resources/equipment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Textiles preferred. Other relevant areas of study include Business, Project Management & Product Development.
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills.
Experience in textiles, knitting or yarn/fiber technology preferred.
Proven track record of managing R&D projects, pipelines & meeting deadlines.
Strong ability to work cross functionally.
Excellent problem-solving and analytical abilities
Strong ability to multi-task & make sound business decisions
MS Office – intermediate Excel, Teams, Quickbooks, SharePoint, Outlook required.
Some light travel will be involved to attend relatable Association Committees, Trade Shows, and Suppliers.

Responsibilities

Overseeing domestic research and development team.
Leading and managing R&D projects from concept to commercialization.
Providing guidance and support to Product Manager & Ops Team.
Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including Inventory Management, Marketing, Sales, Production and Purchasing.
Strategizing the R&D pipeline (in collaboration with the domestic Product Manager).
Managing R&D lab resources & equipment, as well as development /sample documentation system.
Managing both internal & external 3rd party testing (cut, abrasion, puncture, contact heat & etc.).
Leading the development relationship with yarn suppliers along with Purchasing to source and validate new yarns.
Competitive research including product reverse engineering.
Ensuring timely delivery of research objectives to support the company's growth and competitive edge.
Handling & trouble shooting quality issues (yarn/fiber related).
Develop methods & techniques to improve existing products.
Stay informed & provide insight into the latest industry trends & advancements.