R&D Team Lead — Chemical & Ionic Device Principles

Imec; Vlaams-Brabant; Remote; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

imec is seeking an R&D Team Leader for the Chemical & Ionic Device Principles team in Leuven, Belgium. The role coordinates researchers exploring novel chemical and ionic operating principles to enable next-generation device concepts in areas like chip cooling, sensors, memory, and reliability for future electronics.

You will guide the team from front-end exploratory work toward implementation readiness, balancing scientific aspiration with project delivery and capacity management.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry, physics, electronics or materials science.
• 5+ years of experience in an R&D environment with people management.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee team activities across projects, balancing scientific aims with delivery timelines.
• Build and maintain scientific and technical excellence in collaboration with experts and stakeholders.
• Act as first-line people manager, supporting well-being, growth and development of team members.
• Translate project and organizational priorities into clear team goals and monitor progress.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative environment and ensure diverse perspectives are valued.

Skills

Leadership

Team coordination

Communication

Strategic thinking

Education

PhD in chemistry/physics/electronics/materials science

Tools

Project management

Job description

imec is seeking an R&D Team Leader for the Chemical & Ionic Device Principles team in Leuven, Belgium. The role coordinates researchers exploring novel chemical and ionic operating principles to enable next-generation device concepts in areas like chip cooling, sensors, memory, and reliability for future electronics.

You will guide the team from front-end exploratory work toward implementation readiness, balancing scientific aspiration with project delivery and capacity management.