Innovation Center Manager – Coating Technology

Lutron is seeking an Innovation Center Manager – Coating Technology to join our manufacturing team, supporting Tanury—a Lutron company—at our Lincoln, Rhode Island facility. 

In this role, you will lead the development and application of advanced coating technologies, including PVD and CVD, to create innovative, high-performance finishes. You will oversee laboratory operations, drive research projects from concept through production, and collaborate across disciplines to deliver differentiated solutions for customers. Your success in this role will come from your strong technical expertise, leadership skills, and a result-driven approach to advancing processes, equipment, and product offerings.

• Lead day-to-day operation of the laboratory.
• Plan, design, and conduct research projects according to established scientific methods, principles, and theories in order to solve problems, improve or generate new product offerings, and processes.
• Estimate the costs, resources, and time required to conduct a research project and monitor performance to ensure these targets are met.
• Develop new PVD, CVD, or similar processes for novel applications, ascetics, and performance characteristics.
• Design and optimize processes, conduct hardware testing, and troubleshoot equipment to ensure robust and scalable production capabilities.
• Identify and onboard new and innovative equipment needed to stay highly differentiated within the performance finishes and films market.
• Develop and maintain technical expertise on advances and innovations in the field of performance finishes and coatings.
• Leverage innovation center laboratory capabilities to develop marketable solutions for our customers
• Collaborate with other Innovation Center colleagues to pair your expertise in Vapor Deposition with other technologies such as Electroplating, Water Transfer Plating and Surface Texturing to create truly unique and innovative solutions for our customers.
• Prepare calculations, specifications, and other technical documentation so that prototype capabilities can be launched into the production environment.
• Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication to effectively share technical findings and collaborate across teams.
• Apply analytical thinking and attention to detail to solve complex technical challenges.
• Manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating flexibility and a willingness to learn new skills.

• BS in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics or similar degree; master’s or PhD a plus.
• 10+ years’ experience in the vapor deposition industry, with experience developing new finishes or processes.
• Experienced with setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting of PVD equipment.
• Knowledge of Design of Experiments and Statistical Analysis.
• Experience with laser and mechanical engravers is preferred.
• Experience with measurement equipment such as Scanning Electron Microscope is preferred.
• Experience working in a metallurgical laboratory is considered an asset.
• You are authorized to work in the U.S. and will not require Lutron to sponsor you for any work visa, such as an H-1B, either immediately or at any time in the future. Lutron does not offer work visa sponsorship for this position.