VP of Global R&D and Open Innovation

Stahls'•St. Clair Shores, MI

2h•Onsite

About The Position

The VP of Global R&D and Open Innovation leads GroupeSTAHL’s global R&D group and serves as the company’s technology scout. The role identifies promising inks, adhesives, films, materials, and decoration equipment worldwide, then brings suitable technologies into the business through partnerships, licensing, and joint development. It sets R&D priorities across the SMP, Korean, Transfer Express, and Chesterfield R&D teams and advances proven technologies into marketable products. The position is onsite in Chesterfield, Michigan. Relocation assistance is available. The VP works with global brands, suppliers, universities, startups, equipment makers, legal, executive leadership, and internal R&D site leads. The role also prepares the annual global R&D plan and budget and represents GroupeSTAHL technically with key customers and partners.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering.
12+ years of experience in R&D or innovation in apparel, footwear, textiles, or the chemicals and materials that serve them.
5+ years leading technical teams, including remote teams across multiple countries.
Demonstrated working relationships with R&D or materials teams at Nike, Adidas, or similar global brands.
Demonstrated experience sourcing external technology and turning it into a commercial product, including joint development and licensing agreements.
Hands-on expertise in at least one of adhesives (hot melt, polyurethane, heat-activated), inks (water-based, plastisol, DTF, sublimation), or films and coatings, with working knowledge of the others.
Knowledge of polymer and textile chemistry as applied to apparel and footwear.
Knowledge of brand testing standards, including wash, stretch, adhesion, and colorfastness, and restricted substance lists.
Knowledge of IP, licensing, and joint development agreement basics.
Knowledge of stage-gate and portfolio management methods.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or PhD in Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering.
Experience inside an R&D or materials team at Nike, Adidas, or a similar global brand.
Experience with heat-applied decoration, print and decoration equipment, and sustainable or PFAS-free chemistry.
Italian, German, or Korean language skills.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain a technology radar covering inks, adhesives, films, substrates, coatings, sustainable and bio-based chemistry, digital print, and decoration equipment.
Use relationships with R&D and materials teams at Nike, Adidas, and similar global brands to identify trends in performance apparel and decoration.
Attend major industry shows and visit universities, startups, chemical suppliers, and equipment makers to identify technologies worth pursuing.
Track brand restricted substance lists, PFAS regulations, and sustainability requirements, and alert leadership to risks and opportunities for product lines.
Source, negotiate, and manage joint development agreements, licenses, supply agreements, and university projects; partner with legal on NDAs and IP.
Prepare a business case for each pilot and partnership, covering cost, revenue potential, and timeline.
Own the global R&D project list and rank it annually with executive leadership.
Assign projects to the R&D site best suited to the technology and hold site leads accountable for priorities and timelines.
Run monthly global project reviews and quarterly stage-gate sessions to advance, hold, or stop projects.
Establish common test methods and standards across all R&D and lab sites.
Identify and close expertise gaps in the R&D organization, starting with adhesive chemistry.
Hand off proven technology to operations, sales, and commercialization with a clear launch plan.
Serve as a technical representative for GroupeSTAHL with key brand customers and partners.
Prepare the annual global R&D plan and budget with site leads.