{"id":1821957,"url":"https://alion.io/job/genera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager","title":"Innovation and Technology Development Manager","company":{"id":2083085,"name":"Genera Inc","domain":"generainc.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/generainc","size_band":null,"is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Paycom","truth_index":null},"role":"Management","role_family":"Management","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"inferred","locations":[],"countries":[],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-04T06:44:27Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-04","last_verified_at":"2026-10-12T00:24:59Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":8,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":8},"description":"Job Summary:\nThe Innovation & Technology Development Manager is responsible for leading the research, development, commercialization, and continuous advancement of molded fiber products, materials, and manufacturing technologies. This role serves as the technical leader for innovation initiatives across the organization, driving the evaluation of emerging fiber technologies, sustainable materials, manufacturing processes, coatings, additives, and equipment platforms.\nThe position bridges research and development with commercial manufacturing, leading projects from concept generation through pilot-scale validation and full-scale industrial implementation. The role will establish and manage an innovation pipeline focused on improving product performance, sustainability, manufacturability, and cost competitiveness while advancing the company's leadership position in molded fiber packaging and foodservice solutions. The role is largely based out of the\nWorking closely with customers, suppliers, universities, equipment manufacturers, and internal cross-functional teams, this individual will identify industry trends, evaluate new technologies, develop strategic roadmaps, and create intellectual property that supports long-term business growth.\nEssential Duties\nInnovation & Technology Leadership\nCreate and maintain a culture of safety within the team\nDevelop and execute the company's molded fiber technology and innovation roadmap.\nLead research programs focused on next-generation molded fiber products, advanced materials, barrier technologies, and sustainable packaging solutions.\nIdentify emerging technologies, market trends, and disruptive innovations relevant to molded fiber manufacturing.\nEvaluate opportunities for intellectual property development, patents, and proprietary manufacturing capabilities.\nBuild relationships with universities, research institutions, technology providers, and industry organizations.\nMonitor competitive technologies and benchmark industry-leading manufacturing approaches.\nEstablish stage-gate development processes for new technologies and product innovation projects.\nMaintain a culture of continuous improvement\n\nResearch & Development\nLead evaluation and development of new fiber sources, pulps, additives, binders, coatings, and sustainable materials.\nDesign and oversee laboratory, pilot, and production-scale trials.\nDirect research activities related to product performance, moisture resistance, grease resistance, strength optimization, and compostability.\nDevelop processes for rapid experimentation and accelerated commercialization of new technologies.\nSupport customer-driven innovation projects and customized product development.\nCollaborate with marketing and commercial teams to identify emerging customer needs and convert them into development opportunities.\nValidate new technologies and manufacturing methods through statistical analysis and structured experimentation.\n\nTechnology Commercialization and Advanced Process Development\nLead scale-up of new products and technologies from laboratory and prototype stages through commercial production.\nDevelop technical specifications, process requirements, and operating windows for new products.\nWork closely with manufacturing teams to transition innovations into standard production.\nIdentify manufacturing capability gaps and recommend investments in technology, automation, and equipment.\nSupport capital projects involving new manufacturing technologies and process platforms.\nEstablish validation protocols and success criteria for technology implementation.Provide technical support to customers and suppliers as needed.\nParticipate in development of annual capital budget to support the business plan \nPrepare Capital Authorization Requests (CAR) when required with effective project explanation, justification, project timeline and ROI calculation; prepare detailed presentation of CAR to management for approval.\nHandle other projects or duties as assigned and recommend engineering or innovation solutions to improve productivity.\nEvaluate options for pulp manufacturing processes, including options regarding raw materials.\nProvide recommendations related to all technical, innovation, or engineering aspects of pulp manufacturing.\nResearch and evaluate innovative forming, drying, finishing, trimming, and coating technologies.\nInvestigate automation, robotics, AI-enabled process controls, machine vision, and digital manufacturing applications.\nDevelop novel manufacturing approaches designed to improve throughput, quality, sustainability, and product functionality.\nIdentify opportunities to reduce energy consumption, water usage, raw material costs, and overall environmental impact.\nLead technology scouting efforts for equipment suppliers, startups, and emerging manufacturing solutions.\n\nManagement Support\nFosters a positive team environment through open and ongoing communications, ensuring an atmosphere of teamwork, clear standards for objectives, ownership of goals within direct reports and with cross functional teams.\nIntroduce and support process improvements to ensure new processes/procedures are fully adopted. \nEnsure delivery of training for appropriate personnel on new equipment and processes.\nEstablish training modules to ensure operators can maintain standard operating conditions and operate the equipment safely. The modules will have classroom and on-the-job elements. Testing will be conducted to ensure clear understanding and compliance.\nLead and assist in the training of the operating staff.\nCommunicate performance measurements to operating personnel.\nLateral and upward communication to the plant leadership team for current and future state of equipment installation and facility expansion.\nPropose process improvements/upgrades to the leadership team with comparative options for vendors and suppliers. \n\nExternal Collaboration & Industry Leadership\nDevelop strategic relationships with suppliers, equipment manufacturers, converters, universities, and research organizations.\nRepresent the company at industry conferences, technical symposiums, and trade associations.\nParticipate in standards development and sustainability initiatives relevant to molded fiber packaging.\nMaintain awareness of regulatory developments affecting food contact materials, compostability standards, and sustainable packaging legislation.\nServe as the company's technical expert for molded fiber innovation and sustainable materials technologies.\nRequired Knowledge and Skills:\nStrong knowledge of pulp and paper manufacturing processes, materials, additives, and equipment.\nStrong project management skills: excellent organizational skills with ability to focus on details.\nMust have solid communication and leadership skills.\nMust have ability to influence at all levels within the organization to achieve project goals.\nLogical and creative thinker; excellent problem-solving skills.\nStrong analytical thinking\nCapable of effective communication and team building to enhance project coordination.\nAbility and willingness to travel, including extended trips as needed.\nRequired Education and Experience:\nBS Degree or greater in Pulp Engineering or a related Engineering field (Paper or Chemical Engineering preferred)\nMinimum 5 years’ experience in manufacturing or engineering roles, in the pulp/paper industry.\nPrior project management experience: Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred. \nPrior experience working on a start-up or significant plant expansion.\nDeliverable:\nSustainable and reliable Process\nEstablish SOC and process parameters and ensure all involved are properly trained.\nContinuous Improvement to reduce costRaw Material and additive sourcing\nEfficiency Improvements (conversion costs)\nCommercialization of new products and technologies.\nDevelopment of differentiated intellectual property and proprietary processes.\nRevenue generated from new product introductions.\nReduction in manufacturing costs through innovative technologies.\nSuccessful implementation of new materials and sustainable solutions.\nGrowth of technology partnerships and innovation pipeline.\nImprovement of product performance and customer value proposition.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8233,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":true},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Manufacturing","Bioenergy","Land & Agriculture Property"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-04T06:44:27Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":80,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.797,"p_room":1,"age_days":8,"expected_fill_days":23,"reasons":["conf:6","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-12T06:55:09Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/genera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/genera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-12T17:20:17Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":27856,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-13T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":2083085},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=2083085"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fgenera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fgenera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fgenera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/genera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fgenera-inc-innovation-and-technology-development-manager"}]}