R&D- Applications Development Manager

Socket.dev; Greensboro (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Sherwin-Williams is seeking an R&D Manager, Commercial Applications for the Industrial Wood Division. You will lead the application laboratory, serve as the technical expert for product application and rheology, and drive performance optimization across development, trials and customer implementations.

You will guide testing, coordinate resources and mentor staff, ensuring alignment between lab capabilities and real-world manufacturing conditions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) field.
• 5+ years of management/leadership experience in a matrix, multi-site environment.
• Knowledge of Industrial Wood coatings flat line application equipment and Rheology.
• Knowledge of coatings including solvent-borne, UV waterborne and 100% solids UV.
• Strong communication and presentation skills for customers and internal teams.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel and email; ability to coordinate via video conferences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the application laboratory and act as technical expert for product application, rheology and performance optimization.
• Support product development, customer implementation, trials and training.
• Coordinate testing, staffing, material and equipment for benchmarking projects.
• Interpret application results to guide formulation and new product development.
• Develop and validate IW application procedures aligned with customer line audits.
• Manage budget, equipment maintenance and capital planning.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to team members.

Skills

Leadership

Rheology

Coatings

Project management

Communication

Presentation

MS Office

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

The R&D Manager, Commercial Applications leads the application laboratory and serves as the technical expert for product application, rheology, and performance optimization within the Industrial Wood Division. This role supports product development, customer implementation, application testing, and technical training while collaborating with internal teams and external customers to validate products, improve processes, and drive successful adoption of Industrial Wood solutions. The position also provides hands‑on support during customer trials, resolves technical challenges, and ensures alignment between laboratory capabilities and real‑world manufacturing conditions.

Job duties include contact with other employees and access to confidential and proprietary information and/or other items of value, and such access may be supervised or unsupervised. The Company therefore has determined that a review of criminal history is necessary to protect the business and its operations and reputation and is necessary to protect the safety of the Company’s staff, employees, and business relationships.

20% Travel

Responsibilities

• Providing testing support and guidance for stage gate product development, product investigations, and internal and external product benchmarking.
• Calculating, coordinating, and communicating required personnel, substrates, application equipment time, and material quantities to support multi-product benchmarking projects.
• Completing application assessment for stage gate projects for all technologies
• Completing application work and provide feedback for, Raw-Material replacement, Manufacturing site change, Rework and technology transfer projects
• Utilizing extensive knowledge of product performance to interpret coating application results to provide feedback to formulation team in developing new products
• Development and validation of Industrial Wood (IW) application procedures to align with line audits of customers.
• Maintenance of current equipment and capital planning of new equipment.
• Management of one or more team members.
• Maintaining external communication on scheduling to the IW team.
• Developing and providing application training to internal and external customers both at internal and external sites including trade shows.
• Development and maintenance of line audit documentation for customers.
• Scheduling meetings to coordinate materials and substrates to ensure testing and training are executed with minimal variation from defined processes and product specifications
• Troubleshooting on external customer lines without technical lab assistance
• Gathering information and designing testing parameters to reproduce quality issues and provide feedback to quality and R&D team on product and application differences
• Customer application trials and training local technical service staff at IW sites as well as at customer sites with or without technical lab assistance.
• Hosting customer visits and leading live product demonstrations on customer substrates, analyzing results with key decision-makers to drive approvals or implement targeted adjustments to application processes and product selection.
• Coaching and mentoring team members to ensure timely completion of projects and career growth as needed.
• Consulting on continuous improvement initiatives to support internal and external customers.
• Consulting on product selection for current and future product systems to the development lab.
• Consulting on the creation of sales tools including training manuals and brochures.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Must be legally authorized to work in the country for which you are applying for employment (without now or in the future needing sponsorship for employment work visa and/or permanent residence status)
• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must have a bachelor’s degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics ("STEM") field
• 5+ years of management/leadership experience and the ability to communicate effectively in a matrix environment of differing organizational structures and physical locations.
• Knowledge of conventional Industrial Wood Coatings flat line application equipment including reciprocal, fixed head spray, roll, curtain coat, and vacuum coaters.
• Knowledge of Rheology and its use in Coatings
• Knowledge of conventional solvent-borne products such as conversion varnishes, lacquers and PU’s as well as UV.
• Knowledge of conventional as well as UV waterborne product applications as well as 100% solids UV.
• Knowledge of key measurement techniques used in the evaluation of products during application such as film thickness, gloss, and color.
• Experience at customer application line and performing line audits
• Computer skills (Word, Excel, Emails, video conference)
• PowerPoint skills and presentation experience in front of customers
• Project management/scheduling experience

Preferred Qualifications

• 10 years of applications experience.
• Experience in a technical laboratory
• Knowledge of Rheology as it pertains to Wood Coatings
• Proven ability to understand and utilize statistical analysis to interpret data as pertains to product application
• Understanding of typical manufacturing strategies for producing product

Successful candidate will be required to sign an Employee Restrictive Covenant Agreement where permitted by law.

At Sherwin-Williams, our purpose is to inspire and improve the world by coloring and protecting what matters. Our paints, coatings and innovative solutions make the places and spaces in our world brighter and stronger. Your skills, talent and passion make it possible to live this purpose, and for customers and our business to achieve great results. Sherwin-Williams is a place that takes its stability, growth and momentum and translates it to possibility for our people. Our people are behind the strength of our success, and we invest and support you in:

Life … with rewards, benefits and the flexibility to enhance your health and well‑being
Career … with opportunities to learn, develop new skills and grow your contribution
Connection … with an inclusive team and commitment to our own and broader communities
It's all here for you... let's Create Your Possible

At Sherwin-Williams, part of our mission is to help our employees and their families live healthier, save smarter and feel better. This starts with a wide range of world‑class benefits designed for you. From retirement to health care, from total well‑being to your daily commute—it matters to us. A general description of benefits offered can be found at http://www.myswbenefits.com/.

Compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case and will impact where actual compensation may fall within the stated wage range. The wage range listed for this role takes into account the wide range of factors considered in making compensation decisions including skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. The wage range, other compensation, and benefits information listed is accurate as of the date of this posting. The Company reserves the right to modify this information at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws including with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act where applicable.

Sherwin-Williams is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, pregnancy, genetic information, creed, marital status or any other consideration prohibited by law or by contract.

As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, Sherwin-Williams requests state and local employment services delivery systems to provide priority referral of Protected Veterans.

Please be aware, Sherwin-Williams recruiting team members will never request a candidate to provide a payment, ask for financial information, or sensitive personal information like national identification numbers, date of birth, or bank account numbers during the application process.