Overview

Vitro is the largest glass manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere and the largest glass producer in North America. Vitro’s glass products can be found in some of the most iconic vehicles on the road, in countless buildings and homes around the world, and in billions of glass containers produced every year. With more than 14,000 employees worldwide, we have expanded our global footprint and cemented our leadership role in the industries in which we operate.

Vitro Architectural Glass, a business unit of Vitro, manufactures a broad range of industry-leading, energy-efficient products such as Solarban®, Sungate® and Starphire Ultra-Clear® glasses. Throughout our storied history, collaboration and innovation have been central to our advancements. Today, the key to our success continues to lie in the strength of our partnerships. With a foundation formed on trust, teamwork and shared excitement, the possibilities for impactful innovations in glass are truly endless.

With manufacturing facilities throughout the U.S. and Mexico, Vitro Architectural Glass is committed to sustainable manufacturing processes and products. Vitro also operates one of the world’s largest glass research and development facilities in Pittsburgh, PA and has four residential glass fabrication plants in Canada. Website: www.vitroglazings.com

This position will report to the Vice President of Research and Development within Vitro Architectural Glass. The overall purpose of this position is to optimize the productivity of the Vitro Analytical Department within the broader Research and Development organization, over both short and long term. This will involve assigning resources to tasks and projects, based on an understanding of the work and the capabilities of team members; identifying and resolving problems and roadblocks that hinder productivity of the team; coaching and developing team members; identifying opportunities for cost savings and efficiency improvement; providing feedback and technical guidance on Analytical jobs; identifying opportunities to improve capabilities; providing input to R&D management on resource needs (financial, human, etc.); working with R&D and business to acquire needed resources; ensuring safety and security for the group; and serving as liaison between the group and other stakeholders within and outside of R&D.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the Vitro R&D Analytical Department in a managerial role
• Ensure safe working conditions for the group, through execution of EHS directives and pro-active identification and execution of projects to further improve safety
• Ensure that team work products are protected and secured for Vitro’s benefit
• Sustain a climate for open and effective communication, both within R&D and cross-function; share ideas and results verbally, and through documentation; encourage others to do the same
• Communicate and collaborate with R&D leadership to implement initiatives consistently, and to provide updates on group progress as requested
• Provide technical guidance, direction, and feedback on the group’s work
• Remove roadblocks to group progress, identify and exploit opportunities to increase group effectiveness and productivity
• Work with group members to plan and execute individual development plans
• Conduct performance reviews and feedback sessions with group members
• Ability to participate directly in Analytical technical work is desired, but not required

Qualifications

• Ph.D.: 9 years’ experience or M.S.: 15 years’ experience or B.S.: 18 years’ experience; science or engineering degree
• Broad knowledge of technology and business needs to effectively direct resources to business priorities, and identify new opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to provide significant and timely technical contributions to R&D projects
• Demonstrated ability to provide leadership for R&D projects
• Demonstrated aptitude and interest in developing, coaching, and mentoring others
• Sound technical judgement; demonstrated ability in areas of relevance to Vitro Analytical. These could include thin film physics, optics, glass science, electron microscopy, x-ray based materials characterization techniques.
• Demonstrated aptitude to collaborate effectively within R&D and across functions, and with associates at higher and lower levels in the organization