Director, R&D & Advanced Technologies

Apogee Enterprises, Inc.; Faribault (MN); On-site; USD 160,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401(k) with employer match

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

Apogee Enterprises, Inc. in Faribault, MN is seeking a Director of R&D & Advanced Technologies to lead the Faribault R&D organization and advance high‑performance surface technologies. The role combines hands‑on development with strategic portfolio management.

You will personally deliver technical results while coaching scientists and engineers, and you will partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Sales and customers to translate needs into scalable manufacturing solutions.

Qualifications

• Requires hands‑on R&D leadership in coatings, thin films, and vacuum deposition.
• Proven ability to design, execute, and interpret complex experiments.
• Experience translating laboratory results to manufacturing scale‑up.
• Strong collaboration with cross‑functional teams and customers.

Responsibilities

• Lead one or two priority advanced‑technology programs from experimentation through manufacturing.
• Design and execute experiments, optimize coating architectures, analyze data, and solve complex problems.
• Apply deep expertise in PVD sputtering, PECVD/plasma processes, and surface technologies.
• Lead process scale‑up, validation, root‑cause analysis, and transfer to manufacturing.
• Manage the Faribault R&D portfolio and establish project objectives and milestones.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Sales, and Marketing to commercialize new products.

Skills

PVD sputtering

PECVD/plasma processes

Thin films

Coatings development

Process scale‑up

R&D leadership

AI tools in manufacturing

Education

Bachelor’s in Chemistry/Materials Science/Engineering

Advanced technical degree preferred

Tools

PVD/PECVD equipment

Job description

Tru Vue Inc.

Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: APOG), was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. Apogee is a growing, profitable company with annual revenues approaching $1.5 billion. We provide distinctive metal and glass solutions for enclosing commercial buildings, and glass and acrylic solutions for picture framing and display applications. To learn more visit: www.apog.com.

The Apogee Performance Surfaces segment generates >$200M in revenue and EBITDA margins of 20-25%. Our brands in the Performance Surfaces portfolio develop and manufacture high-performance coated materials for a variety of applications, including wall décor, museums, graphic design, architectural interiors, digital display, and industrial flooring markets. We are the global leader in anti-reflective, conservation grade electrostatic dissipative, high-definition, and abrasion resistance coatings, that provide protection, innovative designs, and exceptional durability.

Position Summary

The Director, R&D & Advanced Technologies is a working technical leader responsible for the Faribault R&D organization and the development of advanced surface technologies. This role requires deep expertise in PVD sputtering and practical experience with PECVD or related plasma processes.

Approximately 50–60% of the role is hands‑on, including personally leading high-priority development programs, designing and conducting experiments, optimizing processes, solving complex technical problems, and scaling technologies into manufacturing. The balance of the role includes setting R&D priorities, managing the technology portfolio, developing technical talent, and aligning resources with customer, business, and manufacturing needs.

The successful candidate will be equally effective in the laboratory, manufacturing environment, and leadership setting. This individual is expected to personally deliver technical outcomes, not solely manage the work of others.

Responsibilities

Hands-On Technology Development

• Personally lead one or two priority advanced‑technology programs from experimentation through manufacturing implementation.
• Design and execute experiments, develop coating architectures, analyze data, optimize processes, and solve complex technical problems.
• Apply deep expertise in PVD sputtering, PECVD/plasma processes, thin films, and advanced surface technologies.
• Lead process scale‑up, validation, root‑cause analysis, and the transfer of new technologies into manufacturing.
• Maintain a regular presence in the laboratory and manufacturing environment.

R&D Leadership and Portfolio Management.

• Lead the Faribault R&D organization and establish priorities aligned with business growth, customer needs, and manufacturing requirements.
• Manage the development portfolio, balancing longer‑term technology opportunities with near‑term commercial priorities.
• Establish clear project objectives, milestones, resource requirements, technical risks, and success criteria.
• Provide senior leadership with clear recommendations regarding technology opportunities, investments, risks, and development priorities.
• Ensure resources are focused on initiatives with the greatest strategic and economic value.

Commercialization and Customer Partnership

• Translate customer and market needs into technical requirements, development programs, and technology roadmaps.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Sales, Marketing, and Technical Service to commercialize new products and processes.
• Engage directly with strategic customers to address complex technical challenges and identify development opportunities.
• Build productive external relationships with suppliers, universities, research organizations, and technology partners.
• Ensure new technologies deliver required performance, manufacturability, quality, cost, and customer value.

Talent and Technical Capability

• Lead, coach, and develop scientists, chemists, engineers, and technicians.
• Build organizational capability in coating, deposition, plasma, materials, analytical, and process‑development disciplines.
• Strengthen experimental design, structured problem‑solving, technical documentation, and knowledge sharing.
• Identify critical capability gaps and address them through employee development, recruiting, or external partnerships.
• Foster a culture of technical rigor, accountability, collaboration, learning, and practical innovation.

Operational Leadership

• Manage R&D operating and capital budgets and prioritize resources based on strategic and business impact.
• Establish measurable performance objectives for development milestones, scale‑up, manufacturing transfer, commercialization readiness, cycle time, and technical performance.
• Champion safety, disciplined experimentation, knowledge management, and continuous improvement.
• Improve R&D productivity while reducing technical risk, waste, process variation, and development cycle time.

Personal Attributes and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Engineering, or a related technical discipline required.
• Advanced technical degree preferred.
• Progressive R&D, technology‑development, coatings, thin‑film, vacuum‑deposition, plasma‑processing, or related experience.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience developing, optimizing, and scaling PVD sputtered thin‑film coatings in a production‑oriented environment, including coating‑stack design, deposition‑process development, process characterization, and troubleshooting of coating‑performance challenges; practical PECVD/plasma experience also required.
• Demonstrated experience personally leading complex technology‑development projects from experimentation through scale‑up or implementation.
• Previous leadership of technical professionals strongly preferred.
• Experience operating in a manufacturing or commercially oriented R&D organization preferred.
• Strategic application of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies to drive business outcomes, enhance decision‑making, and improve operational efficiency.

Critical Technical Requirements

• Demonstrated expertise in PVD sputtering technology and processes.
• Demonstrated expertise with PECVD and/or plasma‑based deposition and surface‑treatment processes.
• Demonstrated ability to personally design, execute, analyze, and interpret technical experiments.
• Experience developing and optimizing coating architectures and deposition processes.
• Demonstrated capability in technology development, process optimization, troubleshooting, and manufacturing scale‑up.
• Strong knowledge of experimental design, root‑cause analysis, technical data analysis, and structured problem‑solving.
• Experience transitioning new technologies from laboratory or development environment into manufacturing.

Additional Preferred Technical Experience

• Wet‑chemistry coating formulation and application experience.
• Thin‑film characterization and surface‑analysis experience.
• Experience with multiple coating and deposition technologies.
• Experience working within a manufacturing environment where new technologies must transition from development into scalable production.

Leadership Competencies

• Ability to operate effectively as both a technical expert and organizational leader.
• Strong technical judgment and disciplined decision‑making.
• Ability to balance hands‑on project execution with leadership of multiple development priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop technical professionals.
• Strong cross‑functional leadership and influence.
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts effectively to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Strong business acumen and ability to connect technical investments to customer and business needs.

Work Environment

This job will require 4 days each week on site. The noise level in the office is generally moderate. While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently interacts with individuals on the plant floor, near moving mechanical parts. The noise level in the production environment is usually loud.

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Pay Range

$160,000-175,000

Our Benefits

We care about and invest in our employees. We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support their well‑being and foster professional development. Here is a glimpse of what you can look forward to if you join our team.

• Competitive Benefits Package for employees and their dependents (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability)
• Incentive Plans
• 401(k) with employer contribution and match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with employer match
• Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Time)
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Wellness Program
• Training and Career Progression

Apogee and our brands are an Equal Opportunity Employer.