R&D Team Leader - Paint

We’re looking for an innovative and driven professional to lead formulation development at our Sheffield site. In this role, you’ll take projects from lab to production scale, drive new product development, and ensure market success. You’ll collaborate with suppliers, lead a talented team, and contribute to cutting-edge innovation in coatings technology.

In this role you will be accountable for:

• Oversee development and optimization of formulations from lab to production and market support.
• Develop new products/formulations and reformulate existing ones.
• Conduct lab development, testing, analysis, competitor benchmarking, and stability studies.
• Evaluate and approve alternative/new raw materials, including supplier meetings.
• Progress projects to production scale‑up, ensuring compliance with FMAP processes.
• Write and present technical reports to stakeholders; ensure regulatory compliance and performance metrics.
• Contribute to ideation and innovation processes, building a pipeline of innovation and NPD projects.
• Lead, coach, and train team members, coordinating work to meet R&D targets and maintaining project documentation.

The skills and experience you will ideally have:

• Degree in chemical engineering, chemistry, polymer/materials science, or related field with 7+ years of industry experience.
• Ability to present clear and structured project plans and complex information to technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Strong understanding of coatings/sealants market and formulation best practices.
• Knowledge of the European regulatory landscape and industry testing standards (ISO/EN/ASTM).
• Experienced in introducing new products into manufacturing environments.
• Proven track record of writing and presenting posters/papers at international conferences.
• Knowledge of local manufacturing processes and Lean Six Sigma tools, with project management experience using stage‑gated processes.

Our offer to you:

• Competitive compensation programme.
• Company bonus.
• Company contributed pension.
• Private medical insurance.
• Career growth opportunities in a truly international environment.
• Innovation leaders in the protective coatings industry.
• Sherwin Academy offers continuous training programmes for all seniority levels.
• Attractive wellbeing, mental health, women & inclusion and ID&E programmes.

We remind applicants that Sherwin‑Williams is unable to respond to any enquiries, accept CVs or applications from recruitment agencies.

Eligibility to Work: You will need to provide proof of right to work. It is a condition of any offer of employment we make to you that you have the permission to work in the country for the role for which you are applying for.

Equal Opportunity Employer: An equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on race, colour, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, or any other protected characteristic prohibited by law.

Please be aware, Sherwin‑Williams recruiting team members will never request a candidate to provide a payment, ask for financial information, or sensitive personal information like national identification numbers, date of birth, or bank account numbers during the application process.