R&D Engineering & Innovation Lead

Itape; Marysville (MI); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Itape, a leading materials company in Michigan, is seeking an experienced R&D Engineering Manager to lead development, transition, and integration of new technologies from R&D into production.

You will provide engineering and people leadership to the R&D process team, drive process and product development projects, and partner with Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to align priorities and deliver strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related engineering field.
• Master’s degree in engineering or management preferred.
• 10+ years of engineering experience and 3+ years supervisory experience.
• Strong competency with digital tools supporting digital transformation and data analysis.
• Strong mechanical aptitude with industrial process systems.
• Experience with extrusion, mixing, coating, and packaging processes preferred.
• Innovative, organized, self-starter with problem-solving skills.
• Collaborative interpersonal style with strong communication.

Responsibilities

• Create and sustain a safe work environment and support safety programs.
• Lead, coach, and develop the R&D process team and set direction.
• Provide performance feedback and career development support.
• Partner across departments to align priorities and execute project plans.
• Build vendor relationships and lead evaluations to accelerate prototyping.
• Oversee R&D’s technology pipeline and asset management.
• Drive continuous innovation by evaluating new technologies and processes.
• Apply DoE, statistics, and analytics to plan experiments and guide decisions.
• Establish strong technical documentation practices and clear recommendations.
• Utilize project management to define, plan, schedule and control tasks.
• Work with a union and facilitate teamwork and compliance.

Skills

Digital analytics

Data analysis

Mechanical aptitude

Problem solving

Communication

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Itape, a leading materials company in Michigan, is seeking an experienced R&D Engineering Manager to lead development, transition, and integration of new technologies from R&D into production.

You will provide engineering and people leadership to the R&D process team, drive process and product development projects, and partner with Operations, Quality, and Supply Chain to align priorities and deliver strategic initiatives.