Head of Applied Research & Technology

The Head of Applied Research & Technology for Decorative Coatings - Americas leads market-oriented innovation and application technology activities for the Decorative Coatings market segment across the region.

This role is responsible for the regional ART team, innovation portfolio, technical customer support, and coordination of ART resourcesacross the Americas. The position works closely with commercial and technical teams to identify customer opportunities, translate market needs into projects, and support execution of the Decorative Coatings and Business Line Coating Additives strategy.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead market-oriented innovation and Applied Research & Technology activities for Decorative Coatings across the Americas. 

• Lead and develop the regional ART team, including career development, succession planning, technical capability building, and resource coordination. 

• Manage the regional ART budget and support effective allocation of resources across technical managers, team members, and regional laboratories. 

• Oversee efficient networking and operation of regional laboratories, including collaboration across market segments. 

• Develop and manage the regional Decorative Coatings innovation portfolio while advancing product knowledge, technical competence, and application expertise

• Provide high-level technical support to key accounts, coordinated accounts, regional champions, essential local accounts, and distribution partners. 

• Identify and realize customer projects, Technical Service Requests, and new opportunities in close partnership with commercial teams

• Support execution of the Business Line Coating Additives and Decorative Coatings strategy across the Americas. 

• Maintain responsibilityfor applicable laboratory safety and compliance requirements for Decorative Coatings ART activities in the region. 

• Represent Decorative Coatings at conferences, exhibitions, seminars, trainings, and other key technical or customer events, while promoting regional and international knowledge sharing. 

REQUIREMENTS

• Master's degree or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field. 

• Minimum of10 years of relevant experience in the coatings industry highlypreferred. 

• Strong technical knowledge of coatings applications and application technology. 

• Experience working directly with customers, including customer visits, technical discussions, and identifying technical or business needs. 

• Experience translating customer and market needs into innovation projects, technical priorities, or development opportunities. 

• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple technical, customer, and innovation activities. 

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate, develop, and provide direction to a technical team. 

• Sufficient technical experience and credibility to serve as a resource for experienced technical colleagues and team members. 

• Strong communication and presentation skills for both internal and external technical audiences. 

• Ability to work effectively across functions, regions, market segments, and multicultural teams. 

• Willingness to travel a minimum of approximately 25%, with additional travel possible based on customer and business needs.

The Evonik Group adopts an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) approach.  Candidates are assessed based on their educational qualifications, experience, job competencies and potential and shall not be discriminated against on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, nationality, disability or sexual orientation or other classifications protected by local, state, or provincial regulations.