- Company Name
- Omniply
- Job Title
- Head of Research And Development
- Job Description
-
**Job Title**: Head of Research and Development
**Role Summary**
Lead the transition of a deep‑tech OLED display company from research‑development to commercial manufacturing, managing a cross‑functional team of materials scientists and mechanical engineers. Develop scalable coatings and interfacial adhesion processes, establish operational metrics, and ensure risk‑mitigated scale‑up while maintaining safety, quality, and cost controls. Drive continuous improvement and present progress to executive leadership.
**Expectations**
- Deliver scalable R&D solutions that enable pilot and production‑scale production of flexible organic LED displays.
- Maintain clear project timelines and priorities to meet customer and commercial deadlines.
- Create and protect intellectual property for the organization.
- Operate with hands‑on leadership in a fast‑paced, ambiguous startup environment.
**Key Responsibilities**
- Lead and oversee a team of materials scientists and mechanical engineers, setting daily priorities and long‑term goals.
- Define and advance R&D strategy for coatings, interfacial adhesion, and delamination equipment.
- Design and validate scalable processes from lab‑scale to pilot and production‑scale.
- Establish KPIs and operational metrics for efficiency, yield, cost, and delivery.
- Develop, enforce, and continuously update SOPs, quality controls, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Identify, mitigate, and manage technical and operational risks during scale‑up.
- Promote a culture of operational excellence, safety, and accountability.
- Manage project planning, prioritization, and resource allocation to meet customer deliverables and commercialization schedules.
- Prepare and deliver R&D updates to the CEO and board.
- Participate in hands‑on R&D work and liaison with cross‑functional teams as needed.
**Required Skills**
- Expertise in material processing, thin‑film deposition, and mechanical systems.
- Strong process engineering and manufacturing workflow knowledge in deep‑tech or hardware environments.
- Experience scaling technologies from laboratory through pilot to commercial production.
- Proficiency in defining KPIs, operational metrics, and risk mitigation in manufacturing contexts.
- Excellent communication with technical teams and non‑technical stakeholders.
- Data‑driven decision making and problem‑solving.
- Hands‑on leadership and ability to roll up sleeves.
- Knowledge of intellectual property creation in materials technology.
**Required Education & Certifications**
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related technical field (Master’s or Ph.D. preferred).
- 5–10+ years of experience in operations, manufacturing, or process engineering within deep‑tech, advanced materials, semiconductor, MEMS, or hardware startup settings.
- Preferred experience with delamination, thin‑film, substrate bonding/debonding, or precision materials processing.
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