We are looking for:
A Lab manager, Animate & manage a R&I team based in China,composed of experienced formulations chemists/interns/contract staff, making sure of their excellent performance while offering opportunities for them to develop their skills
We count on you for:
- Inculcate a high performing culture with a strong drive towards innovation, scouting for new technologies to bring differentiating solutions to the market
- Set up and manage roadmap innovation projects in collaboration with business teams based in Asia and more specifically to cater to local customer needs in China
- Able to prioritize opportunities with internal stakeholders and allocate resources appropriately
- In charge of innovation projects around specialty surfactants and identify new technologies for agro applications
- Ensure those projects deliver technological and formulation solutions in line with customers’ specifications and timelines expected with special focus on stability, performance, cost-in-use, safety, regulatory and other specificities as applicable
- Stay close to the lab and involve himself/herself in new activities as necessary
- Provide technical support to local customers (customer visits & trainings, calls, conferences etc.)
- Regular updates to internal stakeholders (R&I and business) and sharing with customers
- Interact, collaborate constantly with R&I teams in Asia and also other zones, to facilitate innovation transfers across zones, and speed-up innovation delivery
- As a project manager, involve deeply in all resources (outside of the team) that are key to project delivery, including synthesis & process, analytical, purchasing, manufacturing and quality, product stewardship etc
- Develop new methodologies and application tests relevant for the positioning of products in development
- Lead scouting-work activities to identify potential technologies and/or processes. Maintain a good balance in allocation of resources between the customer and innovation projects
- Keep an eye on competition and market trends and identify opportunities to play in the agro market
- Identify local academic labs to collaborate for developing tests/protocols for validation
- Ensure everyone is working in conditions meeting HSE policies and rules, as well as Quality policies and rules. Be pro-active to enhance safety standards
- Take care of patent and literature surveys (articles, patents, competitive watch) in considered segments & and participate to patents filing strategies
- Ensure data recording/experimentation using electronic lab note book and contribution to agro database
You can count on us for:
- Global transversal exposure to Commercial, Industrial, and Research & Innovation teams
- Experience within multiple market segments
- Exposure to GBU's top management
You will bring:
- Chemistry/ Physico-Chemistry MS Degree (Chemistry/Chemical Engineering) and a PhD (Physico-chemistry solvents /polymers/surfactants/ formulation science / surface modification/rheology soft materials) by preference
- Minimum 10 years’ experience in formulation development; managed R&I innovation projects to develop differentiated and high-performing solutions
- Prior experience in Agro formulation development; managed R&I innovation projects on different Agro segments those including crop protection is a plus
- An experience in soft matter, surfactants, colloidal science is an added advantage
- Thinking out of the box, have a risk-taking ability with a strong innovative mindset
- Outward looking
- Have resilience and able to prioritize to handle multiple requests
- Strong customer orientation and customer intimacy with high reactivity and proactivity
- Team and people leadership skills
- Strong organizational skills, ability to manage a pipeline of several projects, short-term & long-term
- Strong focus on delivering targets with full rigor
- Highly collaborative with a good team spirit
- Good in communication and presentation skills
- Excellent stakeholder management skills and to be able to work in a matrix organization
- Fluent oral and written English is highly desired
You will get
- Competitive salary
- 16 weeks of maternity/paternity and co-parenting leave, according to local regulations.
- Training platform for all employees
- Free language courses (24 languages available)
- Free well-being sessions (physical and psychological)