Research and Development Team Lead Jobs
Research and Development Team Lead jobs are open across pharmaceuticals, technology, and manufacturing, at every level from senior engineer to principal scientist, with specializations in product development, process innovation, and applied research. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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See related jobsArgonne National Laboratory in the Nanocomposite Materials and Membrane Manufacturing group in the Applied Materials Division (AMD) has an opening for a postdoctoral researcher to develop materials, membranes, fabrication processes, and advanced characterization for water and critical mineral recovery applications. The researcher is expected to use chemical reaction and solution-based synthesis approaches to fabricate element selective sorbents and membranes. We are seeking candidates who will be able to design experiments and develop methodologies to design material compositions and microstructures to achieve desired physics and mass and charge transport properties.
As part of the Materials Engineering Research Facilities (MERF), the Nanocomposite Materials and Membrane Manufacturing group perform science-based membrane synthesis and scaleup development by using roll-to-roll manufacturing and machine learning enabled in-line characterization and quality control methods. The group works closely with industry partners and academic collaborators to address real-world manufacturing challenges and develop next-generation energy-storage and conversion solutions.
The candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team with researchers at MERF and collaborators inside and outside Argonne. The candidate is expected to design and conduct experiments, analyze data and explore mechanisms behind the experimental observations, prepare technical reports and manuscripts, and support future project applications.
Major Duties / Responsibilities:
- Synthesize monomer and polymer materials for polymer membranes and sorbents development.
- Conduct surface modification and functionalization to membranes and sorbents to achieve target separation properties.
- Formulate and synthesis inks for membrane deposition, including electrospinning, slot-die coating, and 3D printing.
- Design composite and hybrid materials and membranes to enhance selectivity and permeance of membranes or separation factors, adsorption capacity and kinetics, and chemical stability of sorbents.
- Conduct structure, microstructure, physics and chemical properties of materials, as well as transport, separation, and electrochemical properties of membranes.
- Develop techniques and strategies for postmortem characterization of membranes to understand fouling, scaling, and membrane failure mechanism.
- Write reports and high-impact papers and present research at conferences.
- Develop or support the development of collaborations with academia and industry.
Position Requirements
- Recent or soon-to-be-completed PhD (typically completed within the last 0-5 years) in chemical engineering, material science, or related fields.
- Demonstrated knowledge in materials synthesis and characterization.
- Demonstrated knowledge in membranes, water treatment, and element extraction.
- Demonstrated knowledge of transport property study such as electrochemical properties of ion-exchange membranes, permeance and selectivity tradeoff in pressure-driven membranes.
- Experience in polymer material and sorbent synthesis.
- Experience in surface functionalization.
- Experience in coating, printing, or any other wet-chemistry deposition techniques.
- Experience using analytical tools, such as X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy. (SEM and TEM), spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman, XPS), composition analysis (HPLC, ICP-MS), and electrochemical (EIS).
- Publication record with excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability/aptitude to contribute to proposal writing, write reports, and publish journal papers and patents.
- Skilled oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- A successful candidate must model Argonne’s Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork.
- This position requires full-time, on-site presence, five days a week at the Argonne campus in Lemont, Illinois.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with casting or slot-die coating.
- Experience with chemical synthesis.
- Experience of sorbent synthesis and adsorption study.
- Experience with electrospinning.
- Experience with aerosol jet printing or 3D printing is a plus
- Highly self-motivated candidate who demonstrates creative and proactive approaches towards scientific problem solving as evidenced by publications and recommendations.
- Proven track record showing the ability to carry out independent and collaborative research in a multidisciplinary team while meeting project milestones and deadlines.
Job Family
PostdoctoralJob Profile
Postdoctoral AppointeeWorker Type
Long-Term (Fixed Term)Time Type
Full time The expected hiring range for this position is $72,879.00-$121,465.00.Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.
Click here to view Argonne employee benefits!
As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.
Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department.
All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case-by-case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual be to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.
Argonne National Laboratory in the Nanocomposite Materials and Membrane Manufacturing group in the Applied Materials Division (AMD) has an opening for a postdoctoral researcher to develop materials, membranes, fabrication processes, and advanced characterization for water and critical mineral recovery applications. The researcher is expected to use chemical reaction and solution-based synthesis approaches to fabricate element selective sorbents and membranes. We are seeking candidates who will be able to design experiments and develop methodologies to design material compositions and microstructures to achieve desired physics and mass and charge transport properties.
As part of the Materials Engineering Research Facilities (MERF), the Nanocomposite Materials and Membrane Manufacturing group perform science-based membrane synthesis and scaleup development by using roll-to-roll manufacturing and machine learning enabled in-line characterization and quality control methods. The group works closely with industry partners and academic collaborators to address real-world manufacturing challenges and develop next-generation energy-storage and conversion solutions.
The candidate will work within a multidisciplinary team with researchers at MERF and collaborators inside and outside Argonne. The candidate is expected to design and conduct experiments, analyze data and explore mechanisms behind the experimental observations, prepare technical reports and manuscripts, and support future project applications.
Major Duties / Responsibilities:
- Synthesize monomer and polymer materials for polymer membranes and sorbents development.
- Conduct surface modification and functionalization to membranes and sorbents to achieve target separation properties.
- Formulate and synthesis inks for membrane deposition, including electrospinning, slot-die coating, and 3D printing.
- Design composite and hybrid materials and membranes to enhance selectivity and permeance of membranes or separation factors, adsorption capacity and kinetics, and chemical stability of sorbents.
- Conduct structure, microstructure, physics and chemical properties of materials, as well as transport, separation, and electrochemical properties of membranes.
- Develop techniques and strategies for postmortem characterization of membranes to understand fouling, scaling, and membrane failure mechanism.
- Write reports and high-impact papers and present research at conferences.
- Develop or support the development of collaborations with academia and industry.
Position Requirements
- Recent or soon-to-be-completed PhD (typically completed within the last 0-5 years) in chemical engineering, material science, or related fields.
- Demonstrated knowledge in materials synthesis and characterization.
- Demonstrated knowledge in membranes, water treatment, and element extraction.
- Demonstrated knowledge of transport property study such as electrochemical properties of ion-exchange membranes, permeance and selectivity tradeoff in pressure-driven membranes.
- Experience in polymer material and sorbent synthesis.
- Experience in surface functionalization.
- Experience in coating, printing, or any other wet-chemistry deposition techniques.
- Experience using analytical tools, such as X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy. (SEM and TEM), spectroscopy (FTIR, Raman, XPS), composition analysis (HPLC, ICP-MS), and electrochemical (EIS).
- Publication record with excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability/aptitude to contribute to proposal writing, write reports, and publish journal papers and patents.
- Skilled oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- A successful candidate must model Argonne’s Core Values: Impact, Safety, Respect, Integrity, and Teamwork.
- This position requires full-time, on-site presence, five days a week at the Argonne campus in Lemont, Illinois.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with casting or slot-die coating.
- Experience with chemical synthesis.
- Experience of sorbent synthesis and adsorption study.
- Experience with electrospinning.
- Experience with aerosol jet printing or 3D printing is a plus
- Highly self-motivated candidate who demonstrates creative and proactive approaches towards scientific problem solving as evidenced by publications and recommendations.
- Proven track record showing the ability to carry out independent and collaborative research in a multidisciplinary team while meeting project milestones and deadlines.
Job Family
PostdoctoralJob Profile
Postdoctoral AppointeeWorker Type
Long-Term (Fixed Term)Time Type
Full time The expected hiring range for this position is $72,879.00-$121,465.00.Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. Additionally, comprehensive benefits are part of the total rewards package.
Click here to view Argonne employee benefits!
As an equal employment opportunity employer, and in accordance with our core values of impact, safety, respect, integrity and teamwork, Argonne National Laboratory is committed to a safe and welcoming workplace that fosters collaborative scientific discovery and innovation. Argonne encourages everyone to apply for employment. Argonne is committed to nondiscrimination and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by law.
Argonne employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation in the application phase for review by Argonne's Legal Department.
All Argonne offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes an assessment of criminal conviction history conducted on an individualized and case-by-case basis. Please be advised that Argonne positions require upon hire (or may require in the future) for the individual be to obtain a government access authorization that involves additional background check requirements. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment.
Research and Development Team Lead Jobs by Experience Level
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Find JobsResearch and Development Team Lead Job Market
Who's Hiring
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in research and development team lead jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline
- 5 or more years of experience in research, development, or a related technical field
- Demonstrated experience managing or mentoring a team of technical contributors
- Proficiency with project management methodologies such as Agile or stage-gate processes
- Experience with data analysis tools, lab information management systems, or CAD software
- Familiarity with regulatory standards such as ISO, FDA, or GMP requirements depending on industry
Tips for Your Research and Development Team Lead Job Search
Quantify your R&D pipeline contributions
Hiring managers want to see outcomes, not just activities. Replace phrases like 'led a team' with specific results, such as how many projects you moved from concept to prototype or how you shortened development cycles by redesigning a testing workflow.
Highlight cross-functional leadership explicitly
Research and development team lead roles require coordinating with engineering, regulatory, and commercial teams. Your resume should name the departments you partnered with and what those collaborations produced, not just list 'cross-functional experience' as a soft skill.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists research and development team lead openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings that match your technical depth
Job titles vary widely: some postings are hands-on bench leadership, others are program management with minimal lab time. Read the responsibilities section carefully and prioritize roles where your technical specialty, whether that's formulation, software, materials, or biotech, matches the core work described.
Prepare a stage-gate or milestone walkthrough
Interviewers for R&D leadership roles frequently ask you to walk through a past project end to end. Practice describing a development effort using stage-gate language, covering how you handled go or no-go decisions, managed scope changes, and kept timelines on target.
Negotiate scope alongside compensation
When you receive an offer, clarify team size, budget authority, and reporting structure before you accept. R&D team lead titles vary significantly in actual influence, and what you're responsible for affects both your day-to-day experience and your next career move.
Research and Development Team Lead Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most research and development team leads?
The most active employers for research and development team leads right now are Acoufelt, Harvard University, and Millennium Management, and the most openings are in Maryland, Illinois, and New York, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These employers tend to hire across product development, applied science, and engineering innovation functions.
How many research and development team lead jobs are remote?
About 100% of research and development team lead openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though this varies significantly by industry. Software and data-driven R&D roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while positions in lab-based fields such as pharmaceuticals, materials science, and hardware engineering typically require on-site presence.
How do you become a research and development team lead?
Most research and development team leads move into the role after building deep technical expertise as an individual contributor, then taking on informal mentorship or project ownership responsibilities. From there, the path typically involves leading a small project team, demonstrating the ability to manage timelines and cross-functional stakeholders, and earning a formal team lead or senior staff designation as the scope grows.
Can you get hired as a research and development team lead without prior management experience?
Yes, especially if you've led projects, mentored junior staff, or owned a product workstream even without a direct management title. Employers in this space often weigh technical credibility and project ownership heavily. Framing your resume around outcomes you drove, decisions you made, and people you guided informally can bridge the gap if your title hasn't yet caught up to your actual contributions.
What does the research and development team lead interview process look like?
The process typically starts with a recruiter screen, followed by a technical interview focused on your domain expertise and development methodology. A panel or on-site round often includes a project walkthrough where you present a past initiative from scoping through delivery. Some employers add a case study or whiteboard exercise. References and an offer conversation usually follow the final round.
Where can I find and apply to research and development team lead jobs?
You can find and apply to research and development team lead jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find roles that match your technical background and experience level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
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