Director, Pilot Plant Manufacturing

DSJ Global; Memphis (TN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

DSJ Global is seeking a Director, Pilot Plant Manufacturing to lead pilot plant operations and bridge R&D and manufacturing. This leader will scale new technologies from laboratory development through commercialization, while driving operational excellence, process safety, and continuous improvement.

This highly visible role offers the opportunity to influence new product development, support technology transfer across sites, and lead a multidisciplinary team in a fast-paced process

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years in chemical manufacturing operations.
• 5+ years leading pilot plant teams.
• Hands-on process scale-up, commercialization, tech transfer.
• Strong process safety, risk regulation compliance.
• Experience in specialty/industrial chemicals.
• Lean Six Sigma experience preferred.
• Strong business acumen balancing tech and operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead pilot plant operations for safe, efficient development and production.
• Coordinate pilot-scale trials, experiments, and campaigns.
• Oversee equipment reliability, maintenance, and capital projects.
• Maintain procedures, docs, and technical standards.
• Ensure EH&S and regulatory compliance.
• Lead process hazard analyses and risk mitigation.
• Partner with R&D and manufacturing on process scale-up.
• Support tech transfer and commercialization across sites.
• Implement Lean manufacturing and CI focused on safety and quality.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and cross-functional problem solving.
• Evaluate raw materials for pilot testing and validation.
• Provide process development and manufacturing support.

Skills

Leadership

Process safety

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional teamwork

Education

Chemical Engineering degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

A leading global manufacturer is seeking a Director, Pilot Plant Manufacturing to lead pilot plant operations and serve as the critical bridge between R&D and manufacturing. This individual will be responsible for safely scaling new technologies from laboratory development through commercialization while driving operational excellence, process safety, and continuous improvement initiatives.

This is a highly visible leadership role offering the opportunity to influence new product development, support technology transfer efforts, and lead a multidisciplinary team in a dynamic manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead pilot plant operations to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable execution of development and production activities.
• Prioritize and coordinate pilot-scale trials, experiments, and manufacturing campaigns.
• Oversee equipment reliability, preventative maintenance, and capital improvement initiatives.
• Establish and maintain operating procedures, process documentation, and technical standards.
• Drive compliance with applicable environmental, health, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead process hazard analyses, management of change activities, incident investigations, and risk mitigation programs.
• Partner with R&D and manufacturing teams to lead process scale-up activities including process optimization, equipment evaluation, and operational readiness.
• Support technology transfer and commercialization efforts across manufacturing sites.
• Implement Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, productivity, and cost reduction.
• Facilitate root cause analysis and cross-functional problem-solving efforts.
• Evaluate alternative raw materials and support sourcing initiatives through pilot-scale testing and validation.
• Provide technical expertise for process development, manufacturing support, and business case evaluations.
• Lead document control and standard operating procedure governance programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering required; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in operations for a chemical manufacturing facility.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing technical or manufacturing teams in a pilot plant setting.
• Hands-on experience with process scale-up, commercialization, and technology transfer.
• Strong understanding of process safety management, risk assessment, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience within specialty chemicals, industrial chemicals, materials manufacturing, or similar process industries.
• Lean Six Sigma experience strongly preferred.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance technical and operational priorities.