About this role
Job title: Research Project Manager
About the Role We are seeking an experienced Research Project Manager to manage research initiatives from conception to completion. They will coordinate and guide R&D projects in compressor and other alternative technologies for HVACR applications. This role drives innovation by acting as a liaison between the various stakeholders to uncover new opportunities and developing them into research projects with clear scopes and established goals.
What You'll Do
- Define overall project scope with established, clear goals so team members can further develop their individual project plans outlining required objectives and timelines to meet project deliverables.
- Engage with the various business units to identify research opportunities via product roadmaps / future product needs.
- Facilitate collaboration and alignment with cross-functional teams, such as procurement and manufacturing, to enable seamless transition of projects from R&D to new product development.
- Conduct competitive analysis including: Active review of compressor patents; Distribution of patents to parties of interest to provide visibility into competitive interest and trends; Participate in review of patents as necessary.
- Provide clear, impactful status reporting to business unit and steering committee leaders, ensuring visibility into progress, risks, and key project outcomes.
- Promote project management best practices within the research team through coaching and mentoring.
- Travel ~5% as needed.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
- 5–10+ years of progressive experience in project management within R&D, engineering, or product development for compressors, turbomachinery, rotating equipment, or similar high-performance systems
- Strong knowledge of high-speed rotating equipment, design tools, testing methodologies, and industry standards
- Proven track record leading complex technical projects from concept to prototype/validation
- Demonstrated mastery of project management skills such as project planning, risk management and cross-functional coordination
- Exceptional communication, leadership, and stakeholder management abilities to work with engineers, executives, customers, and global teams
Nice to Have
- Experience with vapor compression technologies in HVACR applications
- PMP certification preferred