Director, Global Hearing Protection and Protective Communication R&D

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The Director of Global Laboratories for HP&PC is a senior technical leader responsible for setting the strategic direction and overseeing execution of all R&D product development and laboratory activities.  This role leads multidisciplinary teams across two main COE global lab locations in Indianapolis, IN and Varnamo Sweden as well as across multiple product categories.

The Director is also responsible for maintaining third party accredited Hearing Protection and certification labs in both Indianapolis and Varnamo used for product development, initial certification and maintenance of existing products. 

The Director will be accountable for portfolio outcomes across both mature and emerging product categories, including passive and electronic (active) hearing protection and communication products. The role has broad influence across global programs and requires extensive collaboration with portfolio management, applications engineering, quality, regulatory, legal and global manufacturing sites.

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• Set and execute the technical vision and strategy that is aligned with global business objectives and growth initiatives.

• Translate business priorities into actionable, resourced, and measurable R&D plans, balancing innovation with compliance, product maintenance and cost optimization.

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of product development and test engineers across multiple skillsets in project management, acoustics, mechanical design, electronics hardware, embedded firmware, product engineering, advanced development and the associated functional laboratories required.

• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning.

• Direct portfolio execution of NPI programs, global regulatory certification projects, product engineering, and cost/productivity initiatives.

• Ensure technical rigor, risk management, and quality outcomes throughout the development lifecycle.

• Partner with Marketing, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Global Labs, and Business Leadership to drive customer-centric innovation and ensure readiness for global commercialization.

• Maintain alignment and compliance with global regulatory and standards bodies for personal protective equipment.

• Own laboratory budgets, resource planning, capital investment, and R&D vendor management.

• Support the annual strategic planning process in partnership with the Lab Operating Committee (LOC), ensuring portfolio priorities and commercialization plans align with division strategy.

• Continuously improve accredited test lab efficiency, capability, and throughput using Lean and digital tools (e.g., PowerApps, digital test requests, lab scheduling systems, AI).

• Continuously improve special builds capability reacting to Customer requests and requirements.

• Maintain fluency in core and adjacent technologies. Guide development of proprietary solutions and patent filings in partnership with 3M Legal.

• Serve as a technical mentor and thought leader across businesses, anticipating industry trends and identifying key innovation opportunities.

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Science or Engineering (completed and verified prior to start)

• Three (3) years of product development leadership experience in a private, public, government or military environment

• Three (3) years of supervisory/management experience

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Background in Acoustics and Acoustical Measurement Techniques

• Background in Hearing Conservation methods and metrics

• Understanding of global hearing protection regulatory standards and requirements

• Understanding of Mechanical Design methodologies including injection molding and tool design

• Background in Materials Science including Dynamic properties of materials

• Background in electronic product design and development

• Background in electronic product embedded firmware development and qualification

• Significant Commercialization leadership of government regulated  products

• Global product development and laboratory management experience

• Experience in Scrum/Agile implementation and practices

• Significant Front End (Insights) Innovation experience

• Significant International 3M experience and understanding of the 3M matrix

• Process improvement experience such as six sigma, Kaizen, scrum processes

• Ability to analyze data and arrive at decisions based on the analysis

• This role follows an on-site working model, requiring the employee to work at least four days a week in Indianapolis, IN or Maplewood, MN

Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.

U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum.

To comply with these laws, 3M must help assess candidates' U.S. person status.

The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position.

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.

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