R&D Manager

MOVING YOUR WORLD by focusing on your success:

FUCHS offers a challenging and rewarding working environment where employees are encouraged to develop and grow.  We stand behind our core values: trust, creating value, respect, reliability, and integrity. Ours is a culture that fosters creativity and empowerment, values work/life balance, and gives you the freedom to excel. At FUCHS we aim to nurture your capabilities, ideas and career.

Salary:

FUCHS offers a competitive salary commensurate with experience in a similar position. The salary range for this position is $140,000 to $180,000 per year, but actual salary will vary depending upon a new hire’s experience and qualifications as well as internal equity. 
 

Your areas of responsibility:

With our corporate R&D headquarters and Americas R&D regional hub located in the US, the R&D Manager for Industrial Metal processing lubricants will lead the research, development, and innovation efforts in the formulation, testing, and enhancement of lubricants for metalworking and processing applications. The Metal Processing Team includes focus in key market segments and R&D in the areas of Cutting & Grinding, Forming, Forging, Quench, Corrosion Preventives, Cleaners, and Industrial Oils. The role involves overseeing a team of scientists and engineers, managing projects from concept to commercialization, and ensuring that new and existing products meet industry standards and customer requirements. The successful candidate will lead and mentor a multidisciplinary R&D team, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment. The candidate will also collaborate with the global technical community and within their team to discover innovative technologies, new formula bases, raw materials and processing techniques that lead to unique products. Additionally, they will collaborate with cross-functional teams including marketing, sales, and manufacturing to ensure successful product development and commercialization. Other activities will include working on the acceleration of Innovation through application of computational science, collaboration with our Advanced Technology & Development Team for the development of new bench tests and leading the team to develop a future product portfolio with novel innovation solutions and sustainability at its core. Accountabilities and objectives will include:

• Facilitate regional innovation by effectively integrating key insights and collaborating with the Regional Research, Development & Innovation (RD&I) department, as well as other technical groups across the Americas and globally.
• Collaborate with Product Management to develop and sustain a pipeline of new product initiatives that align with Business Plans, Global R&D, and Global Product Management strategies.
• Engage in regional and global collaboration within a high-performance, results-driven environment, fostering a culture of discovery, curiosity, and continuous learning.
• Drive the formulation and development of new metal processing lubricants, focusing on performance, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact.
• Oversee the optimization of existing lubricant formulations to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and meet evolving industry standards.
• Supervise experimental research, product testing, and validation in laboratory and real-world conditions.
• Work closely with the quality assurance team to develop testing protocols and quality control processes.
• Participate in customer visits, presentations, and industry conferences to represent the company’s technical capabilities.
• Keep abreast of industry trends and customer needs to align R&D priorities with business goals. Interact with customers to demonstrate the company’s commitment to technical excellence and customer intimacy.
• Contribute to budget management and resource allocations to achieve both short- and long-term goals, including capital ex-penditures to enhance the company’s technical capabilities.

Qualifications we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or a related field required. A Master’s or Ph.D. is preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in R&D within the chemical or lubricants industry, with at least 3 years in a managerial role.
• In-depth knowledge of lubricant formulations (industrial preferred), testing methods, and industry standards.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to present complex technical information clearly.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and environmental standards related to metal processing lubricants.
• Experience in lubricant technologies and tribological characterization is a plus.
• Knowledge of chemistry, raw materials, surfactants, and dispersion technologies. 
• Experience in product development and product modifications is preferred. 
• Experience working in an ISO 9001/ IATF 16949 environment strongly preferred.
   

These are your benefits:

FUCHS offers a challenging and rewarding working environment where employees are encouraged to develop and grow as pro-fessionals.  In this role, you will have the opportunity to work on projects that will expand your experience and challenge your abilities in the global marketplace.  The position also offers an excellent compensation package and a comprehensive suite of benefits. Detailed benefit information can be found at this link: https://fuchs.com/us/en/benefits.

FUCHS Lubricants Co. is an equal employment opportunity (EEO)/AA employer and strongly supports diversity in the workplace (m/f/d/v).
 

Do you have any questions? Shelli Schaaf (Shelli.Schaaf@fuchs.com) will be more than happy to answer them!