Senior Research & Development Project Manager

Overview

The Senior Research & Development (R&D) Project Manager leads complex, cross-functional innovation projects from concept through commercialization, driving impactful solutions across Contec’s diverse business units—including pharmaceutical, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and more. This role is responsible for orchestrating the full project lifecycle: strategic planning, resource alignment, execution, and evaluation. The Senior R&D Project Manager ensures projects deliver on technical, regulatory, and business objectives, fostering a culture of scientific rigor, creativity, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

· Leads multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-impact R&D projects, from ideation to successful implementation and evaluation.

· Manages a portfolio of projects involving new products, advanced processes, manufacturing, cleanroom, and other industrial environments.

· Defines project scope, critical paths, milestones, and budgets; proactively manages risks, changes, and stakeholder expectations.

· Serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, facilitating engagement and alignment across functions.

· Develops and implements best-in-class project management systems and methodologies tailored for R&D.

· Mentors and coaches less experienced project managers and team members, fostering talent development and knowledge sharing.

· Maintains up-to-date knowledge of global regulatory standards (e.g., EPA, FDA, TGA, ISO, REACH, WHMIS, GHS) and ensures projects, and all corresponding project documentation, comply with regulatory requirements.

· Champions a culture of innovation, scientific excellence, and continuous improvement within the R&D organization.

· Participates and works within ISO 9001 quality standards guidelines in accordance with Contec’s quality goals.

· Others may be assigned. 

Competencies

Communicates & Listens Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that clearly understand different audiences' unique needs. Listens to accurately receive and interpret messages with internal and external customers in the communication process.

Plans and Aligns: Aligning goals and strategic initiatives on cross-functional teams to drive projects to completion

Functional/Technical Skills: Practical and technical knowledge of project management

Strategic Mindset: Ability to plan and act with clear intentions. Able to look at both details and big pictures.

Problem Solving: Resolving complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to solve problems effectively.

Supports Core Values: Able to demonstrate support and adherence to Contec’s core values: respect for others, doing “whatever it takes” within Contec’s core values, vision and strategic direction, exhibiting integrity, having a tolerance for risk, understanding there is life outside of work, enjoying the ride.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s Degree (B.A. or B.S.) in a technical, scientific, or engineering discipline from a four-year college or university; seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressive experience managing complex R&D projects in regulated industries (e.g., pharmaceutical, healthcare, automotive, aerospace); or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

· A Master’s degree (M.A., M.S.,) or Doctoral degree (PhD) in a related discipline is strongly preferred.

· Demonstrated expertise in project management methodologies (PMP certification or equivalent experience) is also strongly preferred.

· Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage multiple high-priority projects, and deliver results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment is required.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that an associate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is occasionally exposed to wet or humid conditions, moving mechanical parts, fumes and airborne particles, outdoor weather conditions and vibrations. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to maintain a stationary position; communicate, detect, converse with, discern, and convey; detect, distinguish, and determine; detect, determine, perceive, identify, recognize, and observe. The associate is occasionally required to move or traverse; operate, activate, use, prepare, inspect, place, and detect; retrieve; ascend/descend, work atop, and traverse; and position self to move. The associate must occasionally move or transport up to 50lbs. Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.