Technical Director - R&D Innovation Leader, Industrial Coatings - Pave Talent : Job Details

Ready to transform R&D operations and drive breakthrough innovations in industrial coatings? Join a century-old industry leader where your technical vision will shape the future of paint manufacturing across multiple facilities.

Our client is an established mid-size industrial paint manufacturer with national distribution capabilities and a collaborative, innovation-driven, safety-first culture. Ranked 19th among U.S. paint companies, they excel at manufacturing premium coating solutions for diverse industrial applications.

Role Impact: As Technical Director, you'll revolutionize R&D operations across Georgia and Wisconsin facilities, leading a multi-disciplinary team to deliver financial growth, technology leadership, and world-class customer service. This role is central to elevating technical capabilities while streamlining operations to establish competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead cross-functional technical teams across two facilities, creating unified vision for high-performing R&D department
• Recruit top-tier talent in industrial coatings, formulation science, and color development while building retention strategies
• Drive formulation development and product improvement initiatives to support evolving customer needs and market trends
• Optimize lab organization and workflow processes to enhance efficiency and accelerate innovation cycles
• Ensure rapid, high-quality technical responses for Made-on-Board (MOB) projects and customer inquiries
• Translate customer requirements into actionable product and process solutions through enhanced R&D-customer service collaboration
• Champion culture of accountability, ownership, and mutual respect across all technical functions
• Provide ongoing development opportunities through technical training, mentorship, and leadership development programs

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years technical leadership experience in industrial paint coatings or related chemical industries
• Strong background in formulation science, pigment dispersion, resin systems, and performance testing
• Proven success leading technical teams and optimizing lab operations for productivity and innovation
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and strategic thinking skills
• Demonstrated ability to align technical functions with business objectives and customer expectations

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field
• Experience managing technical support for manufacturing, quality systems, and customer-facing applications
• Familiarity with VOC regulations, corrosion resistance standards, and industrial coatings performance metrics

What We Offer: $160,000 competitive salary plus 17.5% bonus, comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, vision) from Day 1, 401(k) with company matching, generous PTO policy, and employee wellness programs. Join a family-owned company with over 100 years of stability and growth opportunities.

Culture Insight: Work with a close-knit technical team that values innovation, integrity, and excellence. Our client fosters an inclusive environment where individual strengths are recognized while building unified team culture committed to employee growth and development.

Travel: 50% travel is required in the first 6 months to coordinate across facilities and support customer relationships. After then, minimal travel requirements (once or twice a year).

Ready to make an impact? Apply via LinkedIn and Pave Talent will contact qualified candidates. Confidential search - your application is fully private. Apply now!