Project Manager Europe R&D

Nippon Sanso Europe; Madrid; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses and long-term incentives

Generous leave (29 days plus holidays)

Flexible schedule

Hybrid/Home Office policy

Diversity and inclusion

Sustainability focus

Safety and recognition

Job summary

Nippon Sanso Europe is seeking a Project Manager Europe R&D to lead research and development initiatives from concept to execution at our Madrid headquarters. You will coordinate cross-functional teams and ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with strategic objectives.

The role requires extensive experience in R&D program management, strong leadership, and the ability to navigate an international, multicultural environment with remote collaboration as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science, industrial technology, or related technical discipline.
• Several years of experience in R&D, technology development, engineering, product development, or technical project execution.
• Proven experience managing complex projects with cross-functional dependencies and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience with structured project management methodologies and stage-gate processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage R&D projects from ideation through commercialization.
• Define scope, objectives, deliverables, milestones, resources, risks, and success criteria.
• Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, budgets, and stage-gate docs.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary project teams across R&D, engineering, operations, product management, procurement, quality, regulatory, sales and partners.
• Ensure effective stakeholder communication through updates, risk reviews, and executive reporting.
• Identify and mitigate technical, commercial, operational, safety, regulatory, and resource risks.
• Prepare business cases, feasibility assessments, cost estimates, and benefit evaluations.
• Monitor performance, take corrective actions, and escalate key issues timely.
• Support innovation portfolio management and strategic alignment.
• Promote best practices in PM, documentation, and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Communication

Risk management

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science, industrial technology

Job description

Nippon Sanso is one of the leading companies in the industrial and medical gases business in Europe. Serving over 150,000 customers and 350,000 patients across 14 countries, we offer a comprehensive range of gas-based solutions tailored to sectors including healthcare, food, electronics, manufacturing, chemicals, electronics, and energy among many others.

The Project Manager Europe R&D will be based in our headquarters in Madrid, reporting to Chief R&D and Governement Affairs Officer Europe, and is responsible for leading research and development projects from concept through execution, ensuring that innovation initiatives are delivered on time, within budget, and in line with strategic business objectives. The role connects technical expertise, structured project management, stakeholder alignment, and commercial awareness to accelerate the development of new technologies, products, applications, and process improvements.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and manage R&D projects across the full project lifecycle, from ideation, feasibility assessment, planning, development, testing, validation, and implementation to handover or commercialization.
• Define project scope, objectives, deliverables, milestones, resource needs, risks, and success criteria in alignment with business strategy and technical priorities.
• Develop and maintain realistic project plans, schedules, budgets, and stage-gate documentation.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary project teams including R&D, engineering, operations, product management, procurement, quality, regulatory, sales, and external partners.
• Ensure effective stakeholder communication through structured project updates, decision papers, risk reviews, and executive reporting.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate technical, commercial, operational, safety, regulatory, and resource-related project risks.
• Drive disciplined decision-making by preparing business cases, technical feasibility assessments, cost estimates, and benefit evaluations.
• Monitor project performance against agreed targets, initiate corrective actions where needed, and escalates key issues in a timely manner.
• Support innovation portfolio management by providing input on project prioritization, resource allocation, strategic fit, and expected value creation.
• Promote best practices in project management, documentation, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement across the R&D organization.

Background

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in engineering, chemistry, physics, materials science, industrial technology, or a related technical discipline.
• Several years of experience in R&D, technology development, engineering, product development, application development, or technical project execution.
• Proven experience managing complex projects with technical uncertainty, cross-functional dependencies, and multiple internal or external stakeholders.
• Experience with structured project management methodologies, stage-gate processes, agile/adaptive planning, or innovation portfolio management.
• At least 12 years' experience in industrial, manufacturing, energy, environmental, chemical, life science, or technology-driven business environments would be a plus.
• Experience working with external partners such as universities, suppliers, customers, research institutes, start-ups, or industry consortia is beneficial.

Required Skills:

• Strong project management skills, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, resource coordination, risk management, and performance tracking.
• Solid technical understanding with the ability to challenge assumptions, understand development risks, and translate complex technical topics into clear business language.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to engage technical experts, senior leaders, commercial teams, and external partners.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, with a structured approach to decision-making under uncertainty.
• Leadership skills to motivate cross-functional teams, build accountability, resolve conflicts, and maintain momentum in complex projects.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to connect R&D outcomes with customer needs, market opportunities, profitability, and strategic value.
• High level of ownership, reliability, and attention to detail in project governance, documentation, reporting, and follow-up.
• Ability to work in an international and multicultural environment, including remote collaboration across regions and functions.
• Fluent written and spoken English; additional languages are an advantage depending on the regional scope of the role.

Others:

Regular travel across Europe is required (25%)

At Nippon Sanso, we're a reliable partner for key industries, combining global expertise with a local touch to make a real difference. Guided by our commitment to sustainability, we drive innovation through cutting-edge technology and a strong R&D network. Here, you'll have the autonomy to own your career, with the chance to work on projects that impact communities and shape a carbon-neutral future.

Discover a place where you'll play a key role in solutions that power major industries and make a difference in everyday life. At Nippon Sanso, our technologies support countless essential processes - often behind the scenes - that keep food fresh, enhance electronic chip production, purify water, and provide critical respiratory treatments. With a solid, diversified presence across Europe, we're a reliable and stable company dedicated to constant innovation and to creating a healthier, more sustainable future.

What we offer

• Remuneration and Benefits : We offer a range of bonuses, long-term incentives, competitive salaries, which we review each year to remain competitive in the market. In addition, we have a wide range of benefits as a company, you can choose what suits you best: childcare, transport card, pension plan, sports package, health insurance, etc.
• Worklife balance : We have 29 days off a year! Plus, the 24th and 31st of December.
• Flexible schedule : You'll have the freedom to adjust your work hours to accommodate your personal needs and responsibilities.
• Home Office Policy : With our hybrid work plan, you can enjoy working from the comfort of your home.
• Diversity and inclusion : Be part of an inclusive, diverse culture, where everyone's contribution is respected. A place where individual talent is recognised and nurtured.
• Sustainability : We enable a carbon neutral world. Nippon Gases spearheads the efforts to achieving zero CO2 emissions by helping industries in transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.
• Safety first : We create a safe environment where our employees can thrive. In the past two decades, we have been honored 17 times as the safest company in Europe by the Industrial Gases Association (EIGA).