Manager – Friction Development

The Manager – Friction Materials is a hands-on leadership role for an experienced friction material formulator who is ready to manage a team of formulators while continuing to develop and commercialize new semi-metallic and non-asbestos organic friction materials across a diverse and demanding customer base.

This position reports directly to the Director of R&D and offers the rare combination of technical depth and people leadership within one of the brake industry’s most established organizations. Client details will be shared directly with qualified candidates.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and develop a team of dry and metallic friction product formulators while remaining an active hands-on formulator yourself.
• Develop friction materials for transmission and brake applications across off-highway (mining, construction, agriculture), aircraft, power sports, recreation, heavy truck, and industrial markets.
• Drive project and program management through APQP/stage gate/phased launch processes for new product development and introduction (NPD/NPI).
• Own and manage multiple testing plans and DVP&Rs across a broad range of applications, formulas, processes, customers, and plants.
• Provide regular reporting on program status, team progress, performance metrics, and corrective actions.
• Contribute to market analysis, customer application studies, technology scouting, and regulatory landscape assessments to inform technical roadmaps.
• Generate R&D projects with a clear focus on commercialization and successful product launch.
• Represent the organization in global industry associations for materials, testing, braking, and end-market sectors.
• Interface with sales, product engineering, manufacturing engineering, test engineers, quality, and sourcing teams to support the full product lifecycle.
• Supervise pilot production and fabrication of test materials in plant environments.

What You Bring

Education

• Bachelor’s degree required in Chemistry, Materials Science, Metallurgy, Physics, Composite Materials & Structures, Chemical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering.
• Master’s or advanced technical degree in a related field preferred but not required.

Experience

• 10–15+ years of experience in compounding/formulating, product development, testing, and launch of friction materials.
• 3–5+ years of experience managing formulators or compounders.
• Strong theoretical knowledge of physical properties and materials science as applied to friction material composites, including coppers, steels, non-ferrous powder metallurgy, and friction characteristics in brakes, clutches, and drivetrains.
• Background in ceramics, polymers, composites, and other material science systems.
• Experience with composite mixing, molding/bonding, curing/baking, and finishing of dry friction products.
• Familiarity with analytical methods such as DSC, TGA, FTIR, GC mass spectroscopy, elemental and phase identification, optical and electron microscopy, and particle sizing.
• Working knowledge of Six Sigma concepts and tools including DOE, DFMEA, and QFD.
• A track record of successful commercialization of friction materials is highly valued.

Competencies

• Proven ability to manage and develop subject matter experts.
• Excellent communicator, facilitator, and coach with strong analytical abilities.
• Motivated self-starter who thrives both independently and within cross-functional team environments.
• Comfortable presenting technical data sheets, test results, and failure analyses to internal and external stakeholders.