Sr. R&D Manager, Applications Development

Solstice Advanced Materials • Sunnyvale, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Solstice Advanced Materials is seeking an experienced and highly skilled Senior Manager to lead the Applications Development team supporting Thermal and Assembly Solutions (TAS) within its Electronic Materials Business. The role will be accountable for driving new product development through internal evaluations in intended applications, customer qualifications, and by serving as a primary technical interface to customers in the Semiconductor Packaging and Displays industry. As a part of the fastest growing businesses of Solstice, this position offers opportunities to lead impactful R&D projects, collaborate with internal product development teams (synthesis & formulation), and influence technology roadmaps through strong technical insights and customer advocacy. The role will lead a team of scientists and engineers to drive the adoption of new products and technologies in advanced packaging, thermal management, and displays at customer sites, utilizing demos, on-site evaluations, joint development programs with customers and industry partners. The person will be responsible for the safe and operation of a Center of Excellence (COE) in the Bay Area to provide timely and state-of-the art applications support to customers. The Sr. R&D Manager will oversee troubleshooting of complex problems, perform root cause analyses, and resolve a variety of difficult customer applications and product issues. Leveraging his/her experience and expertise, the person will identify innovative solutions and recommend improvements to processes and products to drive business growth in TAS.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, or related field; Ph.D. is a plus.
• Minimum of 10 years of semiconductor and/or displays experience in taking new materials from lab to high-volume commercialization, preferably with exposure to applications development, on-site customer evaluations, and process integration.
• Proven track record in shaping strategy and building product roadmaps at the intersection of advanced technology and customer value.
• Ability to turn complex customer problems into scalable, market-leading solutions through technical project leadership, new technology evaluation, and customer engagement.
• Hands-on experience in leading team of scientists and engineers, working with cross-functional engineering teams, and collaborating with strategic marketing in driving complex technical programs to completion.
• Ability to influence outcomes without direct authority across engineering, product teams, and external partners.
• Drive alignment across R&D, strategic marketing, manufacturing, and finance on portfolio gaps and priorities.
• Experience in managing R&D budget, project timelines, and resource allocations
• Strong communication skills with ability to represent technical positions clearly to internal stakeholders, customers, and at industry forums.
• Build credibility with leadership, customers, and partners through clear communications, strong judgement, and a collaborative leadership style.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 15% as needed.

Responsibilities

• Working closely with strategic marketing, NPI Marketing, and lead customers, identify/ define growth opportunities in advanced packaging, displays, and Thermal Interface Materials (TIMs)
• Drive New Product Development projects for TAS and lead product qualification and integration at customers
• Develop and deploy application development capabilities across TAS to integrate our product offerings in customer applications
• Engage with lead customers to conduct annual Technology Review Meetings (TRMs) and build technology/ product roadmaps for Theral & Assembly Solutions (TAS)
• Participate in industry consortia and market forums to establish Solstice as a technology solution provider in advanced packaging, displays, and TIMs
• Collaborate with Technical Services and Sales to address product quality and customer needs
• Manage the TAS Center of Excellence (COE) and coordinate R&D activities across the various global teams

Benefits

• employer-subsidized Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• 401(k) match
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Health Savings Accounts
• EAP
• Educational Assistance
• Parental Leave
• Paid Time Off (for vacation, personal business, sick time, and parental leave)
• 12 Paid Holidays

What This Job Offers

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