R&D Manager

This recruitment is carried out anonymously.

We are looking for a

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

to take part in Metsä Spring's Muoto® project. Metsä Group's innovation company Metsä Spring and Valmet have built a demo plant in Äänekoski to develop a new wood-based fibre product for the global packaging market. The plant produces finished Muoto® products directly from wet wood pulp without intermediate steps. As such, the new environmentally friendly Muoto® products would be ready to be delivered to customers. Examples of Muoto® products include various trays and disposable containers.

Muoto is a packaging initiative by Metsä Spring aiming to disrupt the market with a natural and sustainable solution combining structure, functionality and design. We are currently starting first test sales activities and preparing an investment proposal for a first of a kind commercial factory in Rauma, Finland.

Visit muoto.io for more information.

Your role in the future Metsä

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced R&D Manager with a strong background in barrier chemistry, fiber based processes and intellectual property (IP) management. You will lead our research and development projects. Our first target is to have a competitive offering for the first lines in Rauma. Based on your experience and capabilities the exact role in the team will be agreed to fit to the rest of the development team and Muoto management.  Also the role in cross-business development groups and various other groups will be agreed accordingly.

The ideal candidate will possess hands-on experience in R&D, especially paper wet-end chemistry and barrier coatings with a proven track record of managing innovative projects from conception through to commercialization. Your role will be pivotal in driving the Muoto® product development while ensuring the protection of Muoto® intellectual property assets.

Your goal, together with the rest of the 3D fibre product team and with experts from elsewhere within Metsä Group and our networks, is to develop novel functional wood-based Muoto® products that can replace packages based on fossil raw materials.

The ideal mindset of the R&D Manager includes curiosity and readiness to communicate efficiently with various stakeholders. In your role, you will be part of the growing 3D fibre product team consisting of over 20 professionals. In addition, you will be part of our innovative Metsä Spring family.

The job will begin as soon as possible and in the beginning the preferred position is located at Metsä Spring's and Valmet’s demo plant in Äänekoski, Finland. We hope you are ready to travel regularly.

Show your skills!

To succeed in this role requires a good understanding of paper and coating chemistry as well as knowledge of fibre-based packages. Furthermore, knowledge of patenting processes and trademarks will help you succeed in this job. Previous experience in innovation and IP portfolio management is also considered an advantage.

We hope you have at least 10 years of hands-on experience in R&D, with at least 3 years in a managerial role. You have excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. The work requires flexibility as well as good pressure resistance and the ability to work in a fast-paced, innovative environment. We value good communication and collaboration skills, as you will collaborate with cross-functional teams. You can communicate and report fluently in English and you have a university degree, e.g. Master’s degree in a relevant field of Engineering, Chemistry or Technology or equivalent skills that are relevant to the job.

Career in the new era at Metsä Group

A playing field for creative professionals – develop and grow at Metsä Group. If you’re looking for a broad field of work and diverse opportunities to develop production, products and your own skills, you’re looking in the right direction! Metsä Group invests significantly in the business of the future and develops its operations based on the principle of continuous improvement. Our culture encourages innovation, and new ideas are welcomed enthusiastically. Our large Group offers many opportunities for job rotation and career advancement.

We have an ambitious goal to build a significant new fibre product business based on the top-class know-how of Metsä Group and carefully chosen partner companies. In this role, you have an opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies and innovations. This is a unique possibility to get to the heart of industrial research and development of a completely new product family and contribute to solving the world's plastic problem.

Metsä Group has a responsible corporate culture that creates a safe working environment for all of us. We value good leadership and support for personal career development. We encourage you to display your competence and will provide you with opportunities to use it.

We offer our employees a wide range of fringe benefits, including comprehensive occupational health care, and extensive training and development opportunities. To support wellbeing at work, we encourage our employees to take advantage of culture, sports and bicycle benefits.

Metsä Group has a hybrid working model. In this position, part of the work can be done remotely. #LI-HYBRID

Enter a new era in your career,​ welcome to Metsä Group!​

Anonymous recruitment - this is how it works

This is an anonymous recruitment process. The gender and date of birth of the applicant are not asked for on the application form. Personal details such as name, mother tongue, time of studies, name of educational institution and contact details are hidden until the interview stage. Attachments (such as CVs) are also hidden.

Recruiters have access to the contact details of those invited for interview once the applicant has been selected for interview.

Our system will guide you through the application process. The questions on the application form will help you present your skills and experience anonymously. Answer all questions carefully. If you’re invited for interview, your CV will be displayed to the recruiters to support the interview.

Read more and watch the video on anonymous recruitment.

Would you like to know more? Contact us!

Because the application process is anonymous, we don’t record any information about people who contact us. So don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions about the position or the recruitment process itself. For more information about the position, please contact Product Manager Tarja Heikkilä. You can reach Tarja by phone on +358 (50) 3855610 best on Wednesday 4.9 at 14:00-16:00 EET and Friday 6.9 at 8:00-10:00 EET.

What happens next?

Click on the link below to apply. Note that attachments won’t be visible in anonymous recruitment until the interview stage, so it’s important to fill in the application form carefully. Please send your application as soon as possible, as we’ll already start processing applications during the application period. Please include your curriculum vitae and salary request. You’ll receive a confirmation message the next morning after your application has been received.

The application will be open until 17.9.2024. We wish you the best of luck!