Description:

Job Description: Senior Manager - R&D (Advanced Materials & Technical Textiles)

Company: Kusumgar Private Ltd Technical Textiles for Defense, Aerospace, Automotive & Outdoor Applications

Experience: 5-8 years

Qualification: PhD in Applied Chemistry / Polymer Science / Polymer Technology / Materials Science (MBA in Operations preferred)

Role Overview

The Senior Manager - R&D will lead innovation in advanced materials, polymer formulations, and next-generation coating and lamination technologies, enabling development of high-performance technical textile products for mission-critical applications. The role involves driving research, technology translation, customer collaboration, and scaling solutions from lab to production.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead research and development projects in polymer, coating, lamination, and technical textile material innovation.

- Develop advanced materials and formulations for high-performance defense, aerospace, automotive, and outdoor applications.

- Drive patent activities, technical publications, and documentation of novel technologies.

- Translate lab innovations into scalable manufacturing processes in partnership with production teams.

- Collaborate with customers for application-specific material development and solution co-creation.

- Oversee experimentation, data interpretation, and characterization using advanced analytical techniques.

- Manage cross-functional interactions with business, production, and quality teams for product commercialization.

- Mentor and guide junior scientists to build technical capability and innovation culture.

- Ensure compliance with industry standards, customer specifications, and regulatory requirements.

- Contribute to strategic technology roadmap and long-term R&D planning.

Required Skillsets

- Strong expertise in polymer chemistry, material science, and technical textile technologies.

- Deep understanding of polymer synthesis, modification, and advanced characterization techniques (FTIR, NMR, DSC, TGA, SEM, XRD).

- Solid experience in coating, lamination, fiber science, and material development.

- Ability to interpret analytical test data and derive meaningful technical insights.

- Strong research orientation with experience translating concepts into commercial products.

- Proficiency in managing end-to-end R&D lifecycle from concept to manufacturing.

- Understanding of industry applications in defense, aerospace, automotive, and industrial textiles.

- Strong leadership abilities with capability to mentor scientists and lead high-impact projects.

- Excellent communication, documentation, and presentation skills.

- High analytical capability, critical thinking, and problem-solving mindset.

Preferred Skillsets

- Peer-reviewed publications (5-8+) in relevant scientific domains.

- Patent applications or granted patents in materials science or textile innovation.

- Experience presenting in national/international conferences.

- Exposure to customer-facing technical discussions and collaborative R&D