Job Details

Summary of Position:

The Senior Director of R&D leads and shapes the strategic direction of research and development in polymer science, overseeing a team of scientists, engineers, and technical professionals. This role is instrumental in driving innovation, spearheading new product development, and ensuring the successful commercialization of advanced polymer materials in the medical device industry. As a recognized expert in polymer and materials science, the Senior Director of R&D will be responsible for developing cutting-edge materials, protecting intellectual property, and scaling up production with internal teams and third-party vendors. This position is a key member of the Bay Materials Management Team, managing timelines, budgets, and regulatory compliance to support the company's growth and market leadership.

Essential Functions and Duties:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive R&D strategy for polymer science to drive breakthrough innovations and ensure competitive market positioning
• Manages creation and support of intellectual property (patents and trade secrets) to protect current IP and new materials, products, and processes
• Lead the end-to-end development and launch of novel polymer-based products, ensuring alignment with market needs and regulatory requirements
• Drive the creation, protection, and management of intellectual property, including patents and trade secrets, to strengthen the company's technology portfolio
• Oversee product scale-up processes, qualifying new materials and vendors while ensuring cost-effective manufacturing solutions
• Partner with engineering, marketing, manufacturing, and regulatory teams to optimize product development processes and facilitate smooth commercialization
• Ensure adherence to regulatory standards (e.g., FDA Design Controls, ISO 13485:2016) by developing robust testing, validation, and verification protocols
• Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performing R&D team specializing in polymer synthesis, processing, analytical testing, and product development
• Establish and monitor project plans, milestones, resource allocation, budgets, and key business metrics such as COGS, NPV, and IRR
• Manages stage gate process for new product, new vendor qualification and product scale up with third party vendors
• Plans and conducts feasibility studies on new materials, products and systems and works with marketing to advance selected programs from feasibility to commercial launch
• Works with other areas of the company to assist in the development of documented testing, verification, and validation methods to assure system and product quality
• Recruits, hires, and manages domain experts in the areas of polymer synthesis, product development, polymer processing, analytical testing, and product testing
• Provides technical expertise and assistance by answering questions and requests from other areas of the company
• Engages company personnel at all levels, including soliciting observations from engineering, marketing, and manufacturing
• Contributes to team efforts by accomplishing project objectives on or ahead of schedule
• Manages and mentors the R&D team
• Complies with company policies and applicable regulations
• Familiarity with COGS, NPV, IRR and other standard business metrics.
• Tracks and reports project plans, milestones, resources, timelines, annual expenses, and CAPEX budget

Non-essential Functions and Duties:

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, networking, and participating in professional societies
• Other duties may be assigned, directed, or requested

Manager responsibilities:

• Builds strong relationships across the organization, fostering a culture of transparency, knowledge-sharing, and teamwork
• Committed to continuous learning and improvement, encouraging innovation and professional development within the R&D team

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science/Technology, or related field
• 10+ years' experience in research and development of advanced materials and medical devices
• 7+ years' experience directly managing and mentoring R&D teams
• 7+ years' experience in project management, statistics, and stage gate development process in a regulated industry
• Strong background in polymer chemistry, including thermoplastics, thermosets, and reactive polymers
• Hands-on experience with polymer processing techniques such as sheet and film extrusion, compounding, and thermoforming
• Proficiency in polymer characterization techniques, including DSC, TGA, TMA, viscometry, FTIR, and GPC
• Knowledge of standard office software, project planning tools, and collaborative communication platforms

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. degree inChemistry,ChemicalEngineering,MaterialsScience,Polymer Science/Technology, or related field
• FDA Design Controls
• ISO13485:2016(QualityManagementSystems)
• Expertise in FDA Design Controls and ISO 13485:2016 quality management systems.
• Demonstrated success in developing and commercializing novel polymer products.
• Strategic vision with the ability to translate market trends into actionable R&D roadmaps