R&D Manager (Rubber Compound)

ABOUT THE JOB
I. General information:
- Job Title: Technical Manager (Rubber Compound)
- Report to: Vietnam General Manager
- Subordinates: 3
- Working Location: Phu My 3 Specialized Industrial Park, Ba Ria & Vung Tau Province, Vietnam (Shuttle bus will be provided from 3 locations: Ho Chi Minh City, Bien Hoa City, and Vung Tau City)
II. Summary of the Role
- Responsible for the design of compound recipe for all rubber products.
- R&D for compound, fabric, other material, and polymer technology for both TIG arrangement and own initiatives.
- Establish, maintain, and improve management system for compound, fabric, and other polymer technology related materials to ensure that all quality and EHS specification to meet internal and external expectations.
- Responsible for management of Lab facilities, responsible for the incoming inspection of compound, compound materials, fabrics, and other polymer technology related materials, ensure that quality and delivery time meet business requirement, making statistics, identifying gaps, and establishing corrective actions.
- Develop and implement a systematic procedure to evaluate suppliers for compound, fabric, and other polymer technology related materials, supporting Purchasing department for the development of existing and new suppliers.
- Preparation of polymer technology related reports for customers to meet contract and project requirement, deal with customers and related parties on rubber technology related requirements and complaints.
- Contribute to the creation and implementation of strategy, policies, processes, and procedures & best practice to aid and improve operational performance.
- Making headcount plan according to business forecast, recruiting & training of operators to meet the need of production (combined effort with HR), measuring operators' performance and maintaining an effective salary & compensation system; Confers with management and colleagues to solve workers problems, complains and grievance.
III. Tasks & Responsibilities
- Research and development of polymer technology.
- Deeply understand the principles and laws of polymer chemistry and polymer physics, and combine them with actual performance and process;
- Understanding formula design and material selection from the perspective of molecular reaction mechanisms;
- Use of different polymer types (such as EPDM, (H)NBR, CR, (H)IIR, CSM, SBR, BR, NR, [protected info]) to develop rubber products for different working conditions (sealing, damping and protection in seawater, oil, chemicals, high or low temperature and radiation);
- Through selection, verification & improvement of high performance raw materials, to improve the compound properties in different applications, such as oil resistance, abrasion resistance, ozone resistance, low stress relaxation, long life time, high energy absorption and low reaction forces, etc.;
- Development of new polymer technology related to new polymer material, such as bio-based materials, polyurethane, polyurea, high-performance elastomers, high-performance plastics, and high-performance fibers, etc.
- Provide support for the technical improvement of the TMI compound & products from the professional perspective of polymer materials.
- Stabilize compound quality and improve properties through mixing process adjustment;
- Work with BU and other factories on compound and product development and improvement activities;
- To liaise with external & internal stakeholders and make work plan for compound development and application;
- Follow up closely with polymer and related material market and adjust compounds for cost saving;
- Provide recommendations and programs from a technical perspective for products improvement, R&D and trouble shooting;
- Proactively organize and participate in communications with relevant departments to drive the project process.
- Maintaining communication with external stakeholders and industry peers in rubber and polymers;
- Working together with Sales, Production, and other team for new product / new application development.
- Working together with Production, Quality, and Supply chain for project review and FAT protocol, responsible for the rubber technology part.
- Working together with Production process engineer for solving rubber technology related daily production issues; Provide expertise, professional advice and guidance to the production process and quality improvement.
- Supporting Production and Purchasing dept. for the implementation of ME & PE initiatives actions
- Close cooperation with other departments, particularly Production, Supply chain, Purchasing, QEHS, and Sales departments