General Manager

Ion Exchange India Ltd; Hyderabad; Presencial; INR 3.500.000 - 7.000.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

Ion Exchange India Ltd is seeking a Deputy General Manager / General Manager – R&D to lead our R&D function for ion exchange resins, specialty chemicals and advanced polymer products at Patancheru. You will drive strategy, innovation and successful commercialization, coordinating with Production, Quality, Marketing and customers to deliver differentiated products.

The role requires strategic leadership, deep technical expertise in polymers and ion exchange, and the ability to translate market

Responsabilidades

• Lead the R&D function for Ion Exchange Resins, Specialty Chemicals and Advanced Polymer Products.
• Develop and implement R&D strategy in line with business objectives.
• Drive product development, scale-up, technology transfer and commercialization.
• Provide technical leadership across cross-functional interfaces (Production, QC, Marketing, Sales, Applications).
• Lead field trials, customer evaluations and application validation of new products.
• Oversee laboratory development, pilot scale-up and process optimization to improve quality and cost competitiveness.
• Mentor and develop a multidisciplinary R&D team of scientists and chemists.
• Ensure documentation, IP generation, and compliance with ISO and safety standards.

Descripción del empleo

Job Description

Position

Deputy General Manager / General Manager – R&D

Function

Research & Development – Ion Exchange Resins, Speciality Chemicals & Advanced Polymer Products

Reporting To

Chief Technology Officer / Business Head

Location: Patancheru

1. Job Purpose

To lead and drive the organization's Research & Development function for Ion Exchange Resins, Speciality Chemicals and Advanced Polymer Products, with overall responsibility for product innovation, application development, process improvement, technology development, scale-up and successful commercialization.

The incumbent will provide strategic and technical leadership to R&D laboratories and scientists, develop new chemical and polymer technologies, strengthen the organization’s product portfolio, and accelerate innovation in alignment with business strategy and market requirements.

The role will also be responsible for building strong technical interfaces with Production, Quality, Marketing, Sales, Application Engineering and Customers to ensure successful technology transfer, product commercialization, field validation and resolution of complex technical issues.

2. Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

A. R&D Strategy & Innovation

• Develop and implement the R&D strategy for Ion Exchange Resins, Specialty Chemicals, Polymers and related advanced materials in line with the organization’s business objectives.
• Identify emerging technologies, market trends, customer needs and competitive developments to build a strong pipeline of new products and applications.
• Lead and promote innovation initiatives involving new chemistries, polymer architectures, formulations, processes and applications.
• Identify and evaluate new chemical pathways, raw materials, technologies and scientific approaches for development of differentiated products.
• Establish a structured product development pipeline covering concept, laboratory development, validation, pilot scale-up, commercialization and post-launch improvement.
• Drive intellectual property generation, technical know-how and technology differentiation wherever applicable.

B. Product & Process Development

• Lead the development of new and improved:
• Strong and weak acid ion exchange resins, Strong and weak base ion exchange resins
• Polymeric adsorbents and porous polymers, Catalyst resins
• Pharma-grade and specialty-grade resins, Polymer dispersants
• Flocculants and polyelectrolytes, Antiscalants and green polymer inhibitors
• Emulsion polymers and specialty polymers, Paper chemicals, including sizing and wet/dry strength resins
• Defoamers and other specialty chemical products
• Lead product formulation, customization and optimization based on customer and application requirements.
• Drive process improvement initiatives to improve product quality, yield, productivity, cost competitiveness and consistency.
• Establish appropriate laboratory and pilot-scale procedures for synthesis, modification, formulation and evaluation of new products.
• Lead scale-up activities from laboratory to pilot and commercial production in close coordination with Production and Process Engineering teams.
• Ensure that R&D projects are delivered within agreed scope, timelines, quality and cost parameters.

C. Ion Exchange Resin & Application Development

• Provide technical leadership in the development and application of ion exchange and adsorbent technologies.
• Develop new applications for IEX resins in areas including:
• Water and wastewater treatment, Demineralization and deionization
• Process separations and purification, Chromatographic applications
• Advanced catalysis, Pharmaceutical and specialty applications
• Recovery and purification of valuable chemicals/materials
• Develop application solutions for specialty polymers and chemicals in:
• Water treatment
• Cooling and boiler water treatment
• Petrochemical/refinery applications, Textile, Ceramic,
• ETP/wastewater treatment
• Other allied process industries, Paper and pulp

• Provide technical support for complex customer application problems and develop appropriate resin/chemical solutions.
• Lead field trials, customer evaluations and application validation for newly developed products.

D. Competitive Benchmarking & Technology Intelligence

• Conduct systematic competitive benchmarking of products, technologies, performance characteristics and application capabilities.
• Evaluate competitor products through analytical, physical, chemical and application-performance testing.
• Identify gaps in the existing product portfolio and recommend new product development opportunities.
• Track advances in polymer chemistry, ion exchange technology, specialty chemicals, water treatment and related fields.
• Translate technology and market intelligence into actionable R&D programs.

E. Raw Material & Product Evaluation

• Direct the evaluation and qualification of new raw materials and alternate raw material sources.
• Establish specifications and acceptance criteria for critical raw materials and finished products.
• Direct comprehensive product performance evaluation, stability studies and application testing.
• Develop appropriate analytical and performance test protocols for new products.
• Work closely with Quality Control/Quality Assurance to establish product specifications and analytical methods.
• Ensure consistency between laboratory-developed products and commercial-scale products.

F. Characterization & Technical Evaluation

• Provide technical leadership in polymer synthesis and characterization.
• Ensure appropriate use of advanced characterization techniques for understanding structure-property-performance relationships.
• Guide evaluation of:
• Molecular characteristics, Functional groups
• Porosity and surface properties, Particle characteristics
• Thermal and chemical stability, Mechanical properties
• Ion exchange capacity, Adsorption characteristics
• Chemical resistance, Application performance
• Establish scientific correlation between polymer structure, processing conditions and final product performance.

G. Project Management & Commercialization

• Act as project leader for strategic and high-value R&D programs.
• Define project objectives, milestones, resources, timelines, risks and deliverables.
• Establish stage-gate/project review mechanisms for major development programs.
• Monitor project progress and proactively address technical and resource constraints.
• Coordinate laboratory development, pilot trials, plant trials, customer trials and commercialization.
• Ensure effective technology transfer from R&D to Manufacturing.
• Provide technical inputs for cost estimation, product positioning and commercialization decisions.
• Ensure proper documentation of development history, technical data, process parameters and scale-up learnings.

H. Customer, Marketing & Cross-Functional Interface

• Work closely with Sales and Marketing teams to understand customer requirements and identify new product opportunities.
• Participate in customer meetings, technical discussions, product presentations and troubleshooting activities where required.
• Provide technical support for strategic customers and critical applications.
• Coordinate customer trials and evaluate field performance of new and existing products.
• Collaborate with Production, Quality, Procurement, Engineering and Commercial teams to ensure successful product commercialization.
• Provide technical recommendations to management for product development, product modification and technology investment decisions.

I. R&D Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead, mentor and develop a multidisciplinary team of R&D scientists, chemists, technical specialists and junior researchers.
• Build a high-performance, innovation-oriented R&D culture.
• Define individual and team objectives, KPIs and development plans.
• Monitor team productivity, project delivery and technical performance.
• Coach scientists and chemists in experimental design, scientific problem-solving, data interpretation and technical documentation.
• Identify competency gaps and implement appropriate training and capability-building programs.
• Encourage scientific collaboration, knowledge sharing and cross-functional problem solving.
• Develop the next generation of technical leaders within the R&D organization.

J. Technical Documentation & Knowledge Management

Ensure preparation, review and maintenance of technical documentation including:

• Know-How Dossiers (KHDs), Product Data Sheets (PDS)
• Product Bulletins, Safety Data Sheets (SDS/MSDS)
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• Technical specifications, Test methods, technical reports
• Application notes, Internal technical notes
• Scale-up and technology-transfer documents, Customer technical reports

Ensure that R&D knowledge, experimental data, development history and process know-how are systematically documented and protected.

K. Quality, Safety, ISO & Sustainability

• Ensure effective implementation of applicable ISO systems, quality procedures and laboratory management systems within R&D.
• Maintain high standards of laboratory safety, chemical handling, waste management and environmental compliance.
• Ensure appropriate risk assessment and safe operating practices for chemical synthesis and laboratory activities.
• Support organizational sustainability objectives through development of safer, greener and more resource-efficient products and processes.
• Promote reduction of hazardous raw materials, waste generation, energy consumption and environmental impact wherever technically feasible.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory and customer requirements.

L. Intellectual Property