Project Manager

Project Manager – R&D

Location: Valencia, Spain

We are partnering exclusively with an innovative international materials technology business to appoint a Project Manager within its R&D function in Valencia.

This is a highly technical project leadership position combining European R&D project management, sustainable materials development, and intellectual property coordination. The successful candidate will join an established R&D operation and take ownership of a major European research consortium focused on developing the next generation of sustainable packaging solutions.

The Opportunity

The successful candidate will lead the organisation's participation in a long-term European R&D programme, working with international research and technical partners through to 2030.

You will be responsible for translating the objectives of the consortium into structured R&D activity, coordinating internal technical teams and ensuring milestones, work packages and deliverables remain on track.

Alongside the consortium programme, you will support wider R&D projects and play an important role in protecting proprietary technology, formulations and intellectual property.

This is therefore not a traditional administrative Project Manager position. We are looking for someone who is technically credible within an R&D environment and capable of understanding the science, challenging technical stakeholders and leading complex research projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate European-funded R&D projects and international consortium activity.
• Manage project plans, milestones, deliverables, reporting and technical documentation.
• Coordinate internal scientists, technicians and external research partners.
• Review and interpret scientific and technical information.
• Coordinate laboratory, pilot-plant and experimental activity.
• Support research relating to sustainable packaging materials, polymers and biopolymers.
• Manage communication with international project stakeholders.
• Support the organisation's patent portfolio and intellectual property strategy.
• Act as a technical interface with external patent specialists and legal advisers.
• Support the protection of proprietary formulations, confidential information and trade secrets.
• Contribute to future R&D, innovation and industrialisation projects.

Candidate Profile

We are particularly interested in candidates with a background in:

Polymers / Biopolymers / Materials Science / Chemical Engineering / Chemistry / Industrial Biotechnology / Sustainable Packaging

You should ideally bring experience working within a technical R&D environment, alongside demonstrable project-management capability.

Experience with European-funded research programmes such as Horizon Europe, CBE JU or LIFE, international research consortia, technical reporting or pilot-scale development would be particularly relevant.

Knowledge of patents, intellectual property or trade-secret protection would be advantageous, but i s not a prerequisite. The organisation already works with specialist patent advisers; the priority is finding someone with the technical knowledge and project leadership capability to work effectively alongside them.

Advanced English and the ability to communicate complex technical information across multidisciplinary and international teams will be important.

Location

The position is based in Valencia, Spain and requires close interaction with the company's R&D team and pilot-plant operation.

A strong onsite presence will be required initially to understand the technology, experimental work and wider team. Greater flexibility can be introduced once the successful candidate is established.

Long-Term Opportunity

Although one of the initial priorities is a European programme running through to 2030, this is intended as a long-term appointment rather than a fixed-term project position.

The organisation has further R&D programmes planned and sees potential longer-term development across R&D leadership, innovation, industrialisation and technical project management.