Liquid Coatings Technical Manager

CPS Inc.; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 115,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO/Vacation plan

401K

Pension plan

Insurance benefits

Job summary

CPS Inc. is seeking a Liquid Coatings Technical Manager to lead and mentor a team of chemists across NA labs.

You will drive product development, platform maintenance, and technical support for General Finishes segments, including Building Products and Energy, collaborating with Sales and Marketing to grow the business. You will manage a multi-disciplinary team, oversee project execution, and communicate with major customers.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in formulated coatings or related polymer development.
• BS degree with chemistry coursework including general/organic chem.
• Laboratory management of teams >6 people.
• DOE or Six Sigma training or willingness to pursue.
• Strong data analysis and statistics using JMP/Minitab.

Responsibilities

• Lead development, commercialization, maintenance, and optimization of liquid coatings products for GI segments.
• Provide technical direction for solvent-borne and water-borne formulations, testing, scale-up, and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing and Product Management to identify customer needs and secure new business.
• Provide technical leadership in customer-facing activities, including visits, presentations, and plant trials.
• Develop customer and supplier relationships to support growth and cost initiatives.
• Mentor and grow lab teams; hire as the team expands; manage performance.

Skills

Leadership

Laboratory management

Data analysis

Strategic planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Tools

JMP

Minitab

Job description

Liquid Coatings Technical Manager

This is a growing group of liquid industrial coatings R&D chemists who need a strong leader and SME to work closely with customers, manage and drive projects and direct and mentor the team. We are building the pipeline of leadership skills, and the career options for growth are HIGH! The Liquid Coatings Technical Manager is a member of the North America General Industrial R&D technology leadership team and is responsible for leading liquid coatings product and platform maintenance and development activities, as well as sales support for this business segment. General Finishes encompasses sub-segments, such as Building Products and Energy. The Technical Manager will lead and grow lab teams both in one or more of the NA GI labs and collaborate with other members of the NA GI Leadership Team on projects applicable to the US, Canada, and Mexico for regional and global customers. Will directly supervise 6 including a Group Leader, and other Sr. Level Chemists. Will also lead and hire as the team grows. Will also have direct communication with large customers. Chemistries include: High Bake Melamines, Alkyds, Epoxy, 2K PU, and PUD, in water and solvent based formulations. Very broad range of coating chemistries for the Energy, Building Products (like window and doors), and the Energy market including coatings for Transformers, Fuse Boxes, etc.

Core Responsibilities and Tasks

• Lead the development, commercialization, maintenance, and optimization of liquid industrial coating products and platforms for the General Finishes, Building Products and Energy market segments.
• Provide technical direction for solvent-borne and water-borne coating formation, application, testing, manufacturing scale-up, product performance and troubleshooting.
• Work collaboratively with Sales, Marketing and Product Management to identify and prioritize customer and market needs, support and secure new business as well as maintain the existing customer base.
• Provide technical leadership in customer-facing activities, including customer visits, technical presentations, plant or line trials and communication of technical recommendations.
• Develop key customer and supplier relationships to support existing business and new business growth.
• Partner with Product Management, Purchasing, and PCG Raw Materials team to support raw material consolidation and cost saving initiatives.
• Develop key customer and supplier relationships to support existing business and new business growth.
• Leads a workplace culture for innovative solutions, execution excellence, and continuous improvement in a collaborative environment.
• Oversee people development using performance management, succession planning, and individual development planning tools.
• Holds the technical team accountable for achieving product development, customer support, portfolio management, project execution, safety and business goals.
• Builds and strengthens General Industrial lab team through mentoring, training, talent acquisition, and attrition.
• Collaborate in cross-functional teams, including quality control, production, engineering, and product management to increase production efficiency, reduce cost, and improve product quality.
• Collect and analyze data on project metrics, to identify areas for improvement.
• Determine and obtain capital resources needed to support business goals.

Salary & Benefits

• Salary $115,000 - $150,000 + Bonus
• PTO/Vacation plan
• 401K
• Pension plan
• full suite of insurance benefits
• and so much more!

Technical Qualifications

• Bachelors of Science Degree including 2 semesters each of General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry
• Required: Minimum 10 years industry experience in the development of formulated coatings, plastics or inks products and polymer development or material science and intellectual property management
• Laboratory management of teams greater than 6 people
• Strong strategic perspective and ability to deal with complex requirements and set priorities
• Structured, data-based rational thinker and strong execution skills
• Strong market knowledge, customer experience, and demonstrated relationships with Sales and Marketing groups
• Knowledge of related regional markets, product stewardship, and regulatory requirements
• DOE, Six Sigma training, or willing to do so
• JMP, Minitab/Strong statistics and data analysis

JO: 10.14.26SK