Quality and R&D Supervisor

The Quality and R&D Supervisor will lead quality assurance and research & development initiatives for thermal, acoustical, and fireproofing materials within the Thermal & Acoustical Solutions (TAS) business unit. This role ensures product integrity, compliance with industry standards, and drives innovation to support business growth and sustainability objectives.

Essential Functions

• Quality Management

• Oversee implementation and continuous improvement of the Quality Management System (QMS) at the plant level.

• Ensure compliance with internal standards, customer requirements, and regulatory guidelines.

• Manage corrective actions, non-conformance investigations, and root cause analysis.

• Monitor quality performance metrics and lead initiatives to reduce defects and improve yield.

• Technical Support & Documentation

• Provide technical support for manufacturing scale-up and quality assurance.

• Ensure products meet quality standards by monitoring, testing, and improving processes.

• Document research findings, test results, and technical reports.

• Present findings to internal stakeholders and at industry conferences.

• Product Innovation & Development

• Design and develop new TAS products for commercial applications.

• Improve existing product lines through value engineering and performance optimization.

• Conduct lab testing and field trials to validate product performance.

• Research & Analysis

• Perform competitive analysis and market research to identify trends and opportunities.
  
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• Use advanced material characterization techniques to establish structure-property relationships.
  
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• Stay updated on industry standards, codes, and regulatory requirements.

• Project Management

• Manage multiple projects from concept to commercialization.

• Identify quality issues, recommend solutions, and maintain documentation to ensure compliance.
  
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• Develop project timelines, allocate resources, and track progress.
  
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• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Product Management, Operations, and Marketing.
  
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• Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with suppliers, external labs, and industry partners.
  
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• Communicate quality and R&D updates to stakeholders and leadership.

• Facilitate communication between Quality, R&D, Operations, Sales, and Customer Service teams.
  
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• People Leadership

• Coach, train, and develop direct reports to achieve business goals and to foster career development and organizational succession plans.
  
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• Bachelor's Degree in Materials Science, Engineering, or related field required.

• Bilingual in English & Spanish required.

• Proficiency in lab testing methods and analytical tools.

• Strong knowledge of ISO and GMP requirements and relevant industry standard practices is required. Must have the ability to interpret these regulations to ensure proper implementation in the plant's systems.

• Must have experience in performing risk analysis (e.g. FMEA, FTA, Risk Ranking/Filtering).

• Excellent analytical / problem-solving, project management, interpersonal, and organizational skills required.

• Awareness of emerging technologies to advance our operational efficiencies.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Access, Excel, and Word required.

• Must be able to lead, manage, and motivate a team through direct management or matrix management.

• Strong project management skills.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Engineering, or a related field (required)

• Master’s degree in Materials Science, Engineering, or a related field (preferred)

Professional Experience

• 5+ years of R&D experience working with thermal, acoustic, or fire-proofing materials

• 5+ years of hands-on laboratory experience supporting product development, testing, and analysis

• Includes materials testing, formulation, or quality control in a lab environment

• 2+ years of supervisory or people-leadership experience

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Bilingual in English and Spanish

• Fully proficient and able to develop documentation, training materials, and presentations in both languages

• Able to translate technical documents from English to Spanish

• Strong proficiency in laboratory testing methods and analytical tools

• Solid working knowledge of ISO and GMP requirements , with the ability to interpret and implement standards within plant…