Job Title: R&D Manager - Automotive Coatings & Applications (Design & Customer Support)
Location: Jiangsu region, China
Travel: Approx. 1 week per month across China (customer sites)

Why this role
A senior, hands-on technical leadership role at the intersection of chemistry, application performance, and automotive OEM support.
You’ll lead applied R&D programmes, manage a specialist lab team, and act as a trusted technical authority supporting automotive customers nationwide.

Why this business
This organisation is a globally established automotive materials specialist, supplying advanced liquid-applied solutions into OEM and Tier 1 manufacturing environments.
With a strong footprint across China, the business supports long-running and next-generation vehicle programmes, focusing on application reliability, performance optimisation, and responsible cost management. A key site in the Jiangsu region plays a central role in technical development and customer-facing support.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead and develop a specialist lab team focused on automotive coatings and application performance, overseeing new product development and validation.
• Drive formulation and reformulation projects, evaluating alternative raw materials while maintaining performance, quality, and application standards.
• Serve as the technical interface for assigned automotive customers, resolving application issues and supporting on-site troubleshooting across China.
• Design and optimise production and application processes, ensuring lab-to-line robustness and consistent customer outcomes.

What you’ll bring

• Deep hands-on experience with acrylic emulsion chemistry, ideally within automotive coating, sealing, or closely related applied materials applications.
• Strong automotive industry background, with exposure to OEM requirements, application environments, and quality expectations.
• Proven leadership experience, managing and developing R&D or laboratory engineers.
• Confident technical communicator, able to engage R&D, procurement, production, and customer stakeholders in English and Mandarin.

Who this suits
You’re a technically credible R&D leader who enjoys solving complex application challenges and being relied upon as the subject-matter expert.
You’re comfortable balancing performance, quality, and cost considerations, and you thrive in roles combining lab leadership with regular OEM-facing interaction.

For a confidential discussion, please apply or contact Natalie Worsley at Walker Lovell - natalie@walkerlovell.com