R&D Hub Leader, Head of Workflow & Application Development

Job Title: R&D Hub Leader, Head of Workflow & Application Development (Jigani, India)

The Role: As the R&D Hub Leader for Workflow & Application Development, you will oversee our Application Development Labs with a strong emphasis on analytical chemistry. You will drive initiatives that enhance research capabilities and foster an innovative environment at our Jigani site. Your responsibilities include managing resources, facilitating cross-team collaboration, and ensuring alignment with organizational goals. You will play a critical role in translating new concepts into viable products, supporting new product launches, and ensuring that our R&D efforts meet market demands.

Key Accountabilities

R&D HUB LEADERSHIP

• Build Business Model and Strategy: Proactively drive Chemistry’s ambitions in the APAC region by aligning closely with the respective business fields and collaborating with MD India, Commercial, Value Chain, and ISCO teams to shape, refine, and execute the India Growth Initiative.
• Drive Site-Specific Initiatives: Enhance research capabilities at Jigani by spearheading relevant projects and professional development plans.
• Identify Challenges & Solutions: Proactively address site-related challenges, ensuring optimal team performance and continuous improvement.
• Facilitate Collaboration & Engagement: Actively promote knowledge sharing, teamwork, and communication among different functions, both within the site and across the organization.
• Liaison & Alignment: Serve as the primary link between Jigani and the broader R&D organization to ensure alignment with broader Life Science business objectives.
• Share Best Practices: Gather and disseminate best practices across global R&D sites to improve efficiency and quality of deliverables.
• Leadership & Communication: Demonstrate strong leadership, coaching, and communication skills to inspire team members and support their professional development.
• Support Growth: Encourage continuous improvement, skill development, and capability building among site staff.

APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT & WORKFLOWS (ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY FOCUS)

• Reproduce Customer Workflows: Design and refine analytical methods that accurately reproduce end-user workflows, ensuring alignment with customer needs.
• Method Development & Validation: Provide methods to evaluate new product concepts from early-stage prototypes to final designs, ensuring they meet analytical requirements.
• New Product Introduction: Support new product launches, focusing on application development that leads to faster market adoption.
• Field Application Training: Equip Field Application Teams with training and resources to effectively communicate product benefits, with emphasis on newly launched products.

R&D FOR CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS (HUB LEAD)

• Innovative Solutions: Promote the development of cutting-edge solutions for chemical synthesis, including end-to-end automated synthesis, advanced catalysis methods, and integration of computational modeling.
• Product Concept to Market: Translate new concepts and innovations into feasible product ideas, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to ensure timely and effective deployment.
• Customized Solutions & Integration: Collaborate with customers and business partners to create tailored solutions, driving innovation and competitiveness in chemical synthesis offerings.

STRATEGIC PLANNING & BUDGET MANAGEMENT

• Implement R&D Strategy: Execute R&D and Business Field strategies to accelerate revenue growth through new product innovation, competitive differentiation, and increased market share.
• Budget Oversight: Develop and manage OPEX and CAPEX budgets for R&D initiatives, ensuring resources are allocated effectively. Monitor expenditures, providing regular updates and insights to the Head of R&D Chemistry.
• Performance Reporting: Track key performance indicators (KPIs) and regularly report on R&D performance, highlighting successes, challenges, and proposed solutions.

CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT & MARKET ALIGNMENT

• Voice of the Customer: Engage customers to understand their scientific and technical needs, integrating this feedback into R&D projects and priorities.
• Market Feedback Loop: Develop mechanisms to gather and synthesize real-world performance data post-launch, refining product offerings and informing future R&D initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Marketing, Sales, and Field Application Teams to ensure R&D projects address emerging market trends and customer pain points.

Who You Are:

• Required Qualifications:

  • Advanced degree (Ph.D. preferred) in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
  • Significant industry experience in both analytical chemistry and chemical synthesis.
  • Demonstrated leadership experience managing cross-functional teams in a matrix organization.
  • Strong strategic planning and budget management skills.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of influencing stakeholders at various levels.
  • Familiarity with automated systems and advanced computational modeling is a plus.

• Preferred Qualifications:

  • Driven and innovative mindset, eager to push boundaries and explore new approaches to challenge status quo.
  • Experience in mentoring and developing talent within your team.
  • Ability to handle complexity and ambiguity in a fast-paced environment.
  • Results-oriented with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

What We Offer: At Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment. Join us in our mission to enrich lives through science and technology, and help us build a culture of belonging that empowers everyone to work their magic!

and become a part of our diverse team!