Skip to content
CV Rocket
Get started
How it worksThe enginePricingBlogContactSign in

Open nowPosted 20 days ago

Sr. Manager, Raw Materials, R&D

Workable (global search)108,016 open roles

Where
New York, NY, United States
Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

Your applicationOpen nowSr. Manager, Raw Materials, R&DWorkable (global search) · New York, NY, United States

  1. YouYes, apply to this one.

  2. CV RocketCV written for this posting.

  3. 25 readersRecruiter, hiring manager, skeptic. Round after round.

  4. CV RocketApplied on Workable (global search)'s own form.

The reply lands in your private mailbox

3×more interviews than doing it yourself with ChatGPT.

The clock on this job

Early applications get read.

7.9% of postings close within 7 days. Measured by our own scanner across the market. Workable (global search) postings stay open a median of 7 days.

Share of postings closed within
  1. 1.6%1 day
  2. 3.6%3 days
  3. 7.9%7 days
  4. 14.9%14 days
  5. 34.0%30 days
This job: posted 20 days ago

Workable (global search) median: 7 days open

The posting

Position Title: Sr. Manager, Raw Materials, R&D

Reporting to: Director, Materials Innovation & Sourcing

Summary

The Senior Manager, Raw Materials R&D leads the technical research and development engine behind the brand's fabric and materials innovation strategy. This role owns the science, testing, and execution that turn a concept — a new fiber blend, finish, treatment, or performance technology — into a viable, production-ready material. This person operates at the intersection of textile science, sustainability, and manufacturing feasibility, always mindful of established pricing matrices and price-point targets, running structured R&D projects from early-stage exploration through mill trials, testing, and hand-off to seasonal development. This is a hands-on technical leadership role requiring deep material science expertise, rigorous experimentation discipline, original creative instinct, and the ability to translate ambiguous creative or performance briefs into concrete, testable material solutions — while also originating new finish, wash, dye, and treatment concepts of their own.

Technical Research & Development

  • Lead structured R&D projects for new fabrics, fibers, finishes, dyes, washes, and treatments, from concept through feasibility, prototyping, and validation.
  • Partner with the Director to translate innovation priorities and trend direction into defined R&D briefs, technical specifications, and project timelines.
  • Bring an original point of view to finish, wash, dye, and treatment development — proactively proposing novel effects, techniques, and material concepts rather than only executing pre-defined briefs.
  • Launch and manage the seasonal lab dip process — submitting, reviewing, and approving color development from mills to ensure accuracy, consistency, and on-time readiness ahead of bulk production.
  • Develop new core fabric bases — foundational, reusable fabrics that anchor seasonal collections across multiple lines — balancing innovation against cost and price-point targets.
  • Conduct hands-on experimentation with mills and technical partners on new fiber blends, sustainable substrates, performance technologies, and novel construction or finishing techniques.
  • Evaluate emerging material technologies (bio-based fibers, recycled/regenerated inputs, low-impact dyeing and finishing, smart/performance textiles) for feasibility, cost, and brand fit, flagging price-point implications early so Design and the Director can weigh in before a concept advances.
  • Maintain a pipeline of active R&D projects at varying stages of maturity, prioritizing based on innovation value, commercial viability, and calendar readiness.
  • Document R&D findings, technical learnings, and trial outcomes to build institutional knowledge and inform future development.

Testing, Quality & Compliance

  • Own execution of material testing protocols (performance, physical, chemical, and regulatory compliance) in partnership with internal quality and external labs.
  • Define testing requirements for new materials based on end-use application, risk profile, and product category.
  • Troubleshoot performance, quality, or compliance failures during development and drive corrective action with mills and suppliers, applying aesthetic judgment on hand-feel, color, and texture outcomes alongside pass/fail test data.
  • Ensure new materials meet brand quality standards and regulatory requirements before hand-off to seasonal development and production.

Mill & Supplier Technical Partnership

  • Build and manage hands-on technical relationships with mills, converters, and treatment/finishing partners to execute R&D trials.
  • Travel to mills, fabric fairs, and trend shows to source new technical capabilities, vet supplier R&D capacity, and stay current on manufacturing innovation, as well as to scout aesthetic and trend inspiration that can feed new ideas into the R&D pipeline.
  • Assess supplier technical capabilities and constraints, providing feasibility input that shapes what the Director and Design can realistically pursue.
  • Support Sourcing/Purchasing in identifying, vetting, and onboarding new mill sources for core bases and R&D-stage fabric development.
  • Negotiate trial terms, minimums, and timelines with suppliers for R&D-stage development.

Bridge to Seasonal Development

  • Transition validated R&D materials into the seasonal development calendar, working closely with category Sr. Managers and Development teams to ensure smooth hand-off.
  • Provide technical specifications, sourcing documentation, and testing results needed for materials to move into commercial production.
  • Confirm lab dips and core base development align with pricing matrix and margin targets before hand-off to seasonal development.
  • Support Design and Development teams with technical troubleshooting on R&D-originated materials during their first seasons in the line.
  • Maintain the technical (non-aesthetic) side of the Raw Materials library — specs, test data, and performance benchmarks for developed materials.

Team & Process Leadership

  • Establish R&D best practices, documentation standards, and project management processes that scale across fabric and materials development.
  • Identify opportunities to apply AI and other technology to accelerate R&D cycles, testing analysis, and technical documentation.
  • Manage R&D budget, lab/testing spend, and trial-related travel.
  • Able to manage or mentor junior-level employees as needed.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer M/D/F/V

In compliance with the New York City salary transparency requirements, the potential salary for this position is from $125,000 to $135,000, which represents a range commensurate with experience, knowledge, and skills required.

Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in Textile Science, Textile Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry, related field, or equivalent work experience; a portfolio or demonstrated record of original textile, finish, or treatment development is strongly preferred alongside technical credentials.
  • 7+ years of experience in textile/materials R&D, technical development, or fabric innovation, with deep hands-on knowledge of fiber science, dyeing, finishing, and treatment technologies
  • Demonstrated track record of taking materials from concept through testing to commercial production
  • Demonstrated track record of originating novel finishes, washes, dyes, or treatments — not solely executing against briefs defined by others
  • Working knowledge of costing structures and pricing matrices, with the ability to flag cost and margin implications of new materials early in the R&D process
  • Experience managing lab dip submission, review, and approval cycles, and developing core/foundational fabric bases
  • Strong working knowledge of textile testing standards, regulatory compliance, and chemical safety requirements
  • Established relationships with mills, labs, and technical suppliers; comfortable running trials on-site
  • Strong project management skills with the ability to run multiple R&D initiatives at different stages simultaneously
  • Ability to translate creative or performance briefs into technical specifications and feasible execution plans
  • Experience partnering cross-functionally with Design, Development, Merchandising, and Quality teams
  • Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and ambiguous early-stage briefs
  • Regular travel to mills, fabric fairs, and trend shows, as well as overseas technical partner visits
From $25, paid onceGet the CV for this job

What happens when you press

One press. We do the rest.

  1. A CV for this posting

    Written against Workable (global search)'s own wording, from every piece of relevant proof in your profile.

  2. 25 readers review it

    Recruiter, hiring manager, skeptic and more read every draft, round after round. You get the best round.

    The review screen in CV Rocket: how each CV was read, round by round.

  3. We apply on Workable (global search)'s form

    Our application engine gets through the hardest forms there are. Where a question needs you, AI suggests the best answer. Don't want us applying from our IP addresses? Use our Chrome extension: we apply straight from your own browser.

    An application in CV Rocket: every answer filled in on the employer's form.

  4. Every reply, sorted

    Workable (global search)'s answer lands in your private mailbox, and we classify it on arrival: interview, question, rejection.

    The CV Rocket inbox: each employer reply classified as an interview, an action or a rejection.

  5. Reply with AI

    AI helps you write the email, checks it and sends it. We show you whether the recruiter read it.

  6. The interview in your calendar

    Full integration with your calendar. The invitation goes straight in.

    An interview invitation in the CV Rocket inbox, added to the candidate's calendar.
Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

Why it works

3×

more interviews than doing it yourself with ChatGPT.

ChatGPT writes a CV and never learns what happened to it. We see every reply. For each CV we know:

  • How it was written, and how the review scored it
  • When we applied, and how long after the posting went up
  • Which posting, which company, which city
  • Who got the interview, and who heard nothing

That is how we know which CVs get called.

Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

The numbers game

More applications. More interviews.

Every application goes out with its own CV, written for that posting and paid once. Send enough of them and the law of large numbers finds you the job.

Get the CV for this job
By hand5–10
With CV Rocket100
applications a day

Nearby

Live postings like this one

Same employer first, then the same role elsewhere.

Before you press

Straight answers

Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.

What if my background isn't good enough?

We make the most of the background you have. The CV uses every piece of relevant proof your profile holds, and one of the 25 readers reads your whole profile and flags what the CV left out.

Do you really apply for me?

Yes, on the employer's own form, the hardest ones included. Where a question needs you, you answer it right there and AI suggests the best answer. Don't want us applying from our IP addresses? Use our Chrome extension: we apply straight from your own browser.

Is it a subscription?

No. You pay once per CV, from $25. Every application goes out with its own CV, written for that posting.

One job. One CV.
Paid once.

Pick the posting you want. We write for it, apply for you and catch the reply.

Get the CV for this job

From $25 per CV, paid once. No subscription.