Director of R&D and Technical Services

Reporting to the Technical Fellow, the Director of R&D and Technical Services will lead product development, analytical operations, and technical service activities across Inhance’s fluorine-based chemistry platform. This leader will guide new product innovation from ideation through commercialization, ensuring customer needs and technical capabilities align to create scalable, high-value 
solutions. 

Early focus areas (first 12–18 months):

● Building deep knowledge of Inhance’s fluorine chemistries and technology platforms 
● Strengthening analytical systems, KPIs, and testing rigor 
● Advancing high-impact new product and process development initiatives 
● Improving cross-functional alignment between R&D, operations, sales, and quality 
● Delivering technical solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and market position

MANDATE / OUTCOMES

Success in this role will be measured by: 
● Progression of new products from concept into commercialization 
● Enhanced analytical performance, quality metrics, and system reliability 
● Strong alignment across technical, commercial, and operational teams 
● Accelerated delivery of customer-driven solutions 
● Expansion of Inhance’s differentiated technology platforms and IP portfolio 

KEY AREAS OF FOCUS

Technical & Scientific Expertise :
● Apply deep knowledge of inorganic, fluorine, and HF-based chemistries to develop and optimize products 
● Oversee analytical testing to ensure products meet specifications and are delivered on time 
● Build and maintain KPIs, specifications, and trend analyses for analytical performance 
● Uphold rigorous scientific methodology across development and scale-up 

Innovation & Product Development

● Lead new product development from ideation through commercialization 
● Translate customer needs and market opportunities into viable technical solutions 
● Identify new applications for existing technologies and materials 
● Drive structured innovation processes (stage-gate, feasibility, validation, design of experiments) 
● Lead intellectual property (IP) strategy across business units 

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Influence

● Partner closely with sales, marketing, operations, quality, and leadership to align on priorities 
● Provide rapid technical support to internal teams and customers to resolve issues 
● Build strong, trust-based relationships across functions to accelerate decision-making 
● Communicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders

Operational Excellence & Scale-Up

● Ensure analytical lab performance, quality, and process discipline 
● Strengthen the development-to-manufacturing handoff for new products 
● Support process improvements that enhance throughput, cost efficiency, and reliability 
● Promote a safety-first, quality-first mindset across all technical operations 

Strategic & Commercial Impact

● Identify technology trends, competitive dynamics, and whitespace opportunities 
● Inform R&D priorities through market insight and customer collaboration 
● Support M&A technical diligence and identify integration synergies 
● Help guide investment decisions around capabilities, capacity, and platform extensions

Inhance Technologies is a global leader in specialty gases, chemicals, and material transformation technologies, with operations across North America, South America, Europe, and at key customer sites. The company serves a diverse range of industries—including electronics, healthcare, energy storage, agriculture, automotive, industrial, and consumer goods—and is known for its technical expertise, customer collaboration, and commitment to safety, quality, and environmental stewardship. 

Inhance is backed by a top-tier private equity sponsor with more than $6B under management, providing significant support for organic and strategic growth. The business is well-positioned to accelerate expansion, driven by strong end-market demand, continued investment in technology, and a history of 
commercializing high-value, differentiated solutions. 

Market Leadership

● Recognized as the global gold standard in its core technologies 
● Differentiated IP and a diversified, high-value product portfolio 
● Long-term, sole-source relationships and significant barriers to entry 
● Embedded role in customer supply chains and critical applications 

Multiple Growth Drivers

● Exposure to high-growth, resilient end markets 
● History of transforming technical expertise into commercialized innovation 
● Meaningful organic growth opportunities through new applications and cross-selling 
● Proprietary, vertically integrated processes enabling rapid development and scale-up 

Strong value proposition & Financial Profile

● Highly customized solutions that deliver measurable competitive advantage 
● Attractive margins and demonstrated pricing power 
● Sponsor with a strong track record of investment and operational partnership 

This role represents an opportunity for a technical leader to directly shape the next phase of innovation and capability within a growing, global technology and specialty materials organization.

Education/ Experience Requirements

● PhD or MS in Chemistry or a related field 
● Minimum 5 years of experience with fluorine-based chemistries 
● Industrial experience leading technical projects; prior leadership of technical teams is a plus 
● Background in specialty chemicals, materials, or related industrial R&D environments 

Technical Mastery

● Strong experience with analytical chemistry techniques: ICPMS, surface area analysis, GC, LCMS, 
etc. 
● Product application R&D experience, ideally with fluorine chemistries 
● Familiarity with scale-up and manufacturing transfer for specialty chemicals 
● Experience with IP strategy, patent processes, or technology protection 

Innovation & Product Development Leadership

● Demonstrated success leading products from concept through commercialization 
● Strong experimental design, problem-solving, and data-driven decision-making 
● Ability to build structured development pipelines and roadmaps 
● Experience in fast-paced, innovation-intensive environments 

Collaboration, Communication & Influence

● Strong interpersonal and communication skills 
● Ability to partner effectively across R&D, operations, commercial, and executive teams 
● Clear communicator able to simplify and translate complex scientific topics 
● Builds alignment, trust, and shared ownership across teams 

Execution, Judgment & Work Ethic

● Highly analytical and detail-oriented 
● Strong organizational skills; able to manage multiple priorities 
● Thrives in a lean, fast-paced environment 
● High integrity, sound judgment, and strong critical thinking

Competitive base salary + performance-based bonus.