Research & Development Manager, Grease & OGL

Calumet

31d•Onsite

About The Position

At Calumet, we deliver innovative specialty products trusted by companies across the globe. We are the foundation to everyday essential products that help millions of people live and thrive. We are headquartered in Indianapolis and have numerous production locations in the US. We are customer focused and utilize our values of collaboration and entrepreneurship to grow the business. We offer a dynamic, high-performance environment where team members can have real input and impact on our business. If you’re ready to roll up your sleeves, treat the business as if it is your own and add value accordingly, come see why we’re Calumet Proud! PURPOSE: R&D Managers are integral members of the Product Management / Research and Development Team, reporting to the Director of Product Management / R&D, and are responsible for designing and delivering premium products that support business growth objectives. This role spans the full product development lifecycle—from initial concept through commercialization—and includes continuous improvement of existing grease and open gear lubricant (OGL) formulations to meet evolving industry, OEM, and customer requirements. This role is critical in ensuring our BEL-RAY grease and OGL portfolio remains technically differentiated, market-relevant, and aligned with the strategic direction of the business which is focusing on growth in mining and food-grade - both require this area of expertise.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or related scientific field. MS or PhD preferred.
Minimum 10 years research experience in formulating greases, open gear lubricants, and/or finished lubricants.
Hands-on experience with grease manufacturing processes, including thickener saponification, kettle operations, milling, and homogenization.
Working knowledge of major thickener systems (lithium, lithium complex, calcium sulfonate, polyurea, clay, and aluminum complex).
Established laboratory safety, technical competency with strong lubricant and grease principles background.
Experience using analytical equipment according to ASTM, DIN and ISO methods, including penetration, dropping point, roll stability, water washout, and bearing life testing.
Experience in the lubricants industry and working with OEMs, additive companies, and base oil companies.
Demonstrated experience leading, developing, and supervising technical staff.
Strong attention to detail, problem solving, and organizational skills.
Effective writing and oral presentation skills to clearly communicate ideas, data, recommendations, and conclusions.
Effective project management skills with the ability to work on multiple projects and other technical tasks simultaneously and deliver results in a timely manner.
Strong interpersonal, networking and communication skills to work with suppliers, OEMs, customers, and at industry meetings such as NLGI, ELGI, and STLE.

Nice To Haves

MS or PhD preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead grease, open gear lubricant (OGL), and semi-solid lubricant product development projects across industrial, automotive, mining, and specialty applications.
Develop greases and OGLs that demonstrate measurable performance advantages.
Secure relevant OEM and industry approvals and NLGI certifications.
Collaborate closely with key suppliers and industry experts to assess base oil, thickener, and additive technologies.
Design and execute test programs to benchmark performance against industry standards and OEM specifications.
Work with Cross-functional teams to develop company products that support brand strategy by collaborating with suppliers and OEMs to deliver innovative products.
Evaluate function and performance of raw materials—including base oils, thickener systems, and additive packages—in grease and OGL formulations.
Provide expert technical support and problem-solving solutions to external customers and internal cross-functional teams such as quality-control, production, sales, marketing teams and customers.
Design and execute test programs to demonstrate and validate product technology, claims, and benefits.
Support scale-up of grease and OGL formulations from bench batch through pilot kettle and full-scale plant production, partnering with manufacturing to ensure consistency and yield.
Maintain knowledge of industry and specifications, OEMs, NLGI, ELGI, ASTM, ISO, DIN, STLE and other test standards applicable to greases and open gear lubricants.
Develop and maintain product development processes.
Collaborate with, direct the work for and manage R&D Chemists.
Mentor, coach, and train R&D Chemists and laboratory technicians, and deliver product support training to internal and external customers.
Other duties as required.