Management Trainee - Research & Development and Future Business Leader

Company: Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations
Location: Onalaska
Posted on: February 17, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Management Trainee – Research & Development and Future Business Leader Work Location: Onalaska, WI (100% Onsite Role) Compensation: $65,000 - $105,000 annually Benefits: Eligible for wage increases twice annually 3 weeks of paid vacation in year one and 4 weeks in year two 8 paid holidays Health benefits start the first of the month following start date 401(k) with company match Quarterly profit sharing About Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations At Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, we give electronics their next best life while protecting our planet and our customers' interests. As a Certified Great Place to Work® since 2017, we've built a team culture that's rewarding, engaging, and FUN! But don't just take our word for it—see what our Team Members have to say. How We Hire: The Head, Heart, and Briefcase At Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, we believe great performance comes from alignment across three areas: Head – your natural behavioral drives and cognitive agility ?? Heart – your values, passions, and what drives you to make a meaningful impact Briefcase – your experiences, skills, and results from past roles You'll start with the Predictive Index (PI) assessment (takes less than 20 minutes), then move through structured interviews, work samples, and meaningful culture-focused conversations. Your Purpose As a Management Trainee – R&D and Future Business Leader , you'll join a high-velocity learning track reporting directly to our Founder. You'll dive deep into every part of our new precious-metals and non-ferrous recovery business while helping build and scale our first-of-its-kind circuit board processing line from the ground up. This means you'll get your hands dirty — researching, designing, experimenting, testing, and optimizing equipment and processes — while developing the strategic and operational muscles needed to run (or help run) this business segment as it grows. If you thrive in environments full of experimentation, iteration, ambiguity, and change — and you're motivated by the idea of building something new and scaling it fast — this is the kind of opportunity that can shape the next decade of your career. What You'll Do Independently lead R&D projects that develop, test, and refine equipment, processes, and new business opportunities for our circuit board processing line. Research, ideate, prototype, and iterate quickly — designing and running experiments that generate actionable insights. Conduct hands-on testing, A/B trials, equipment adjustments, and time/material studies to optimize throughput, yield, recovery, and efficiency. Analyze market trends, emerging technologies, financial viability, and industry parallels to uncover innovation and differentiation opportunities. Support existing business initiatives by evaluating new materials, identifying automation opportunities, and improving process efficiency. Establish and manage internal testing protocols to validate outcomes with data. Execute small to mid-sized projects focused on ROI, automation, cost reduction, safety, and operational improvement. Partner closely with Operations to transition R&D outcomes into full-scale production, ensuring seamless startup and continuous improvement. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, influence without authority, and build relationships critical to scaling this new business unit. Travel as needed (optional but highly valuable) to learn industry best practices and engage directly with vendors, customers, and operations/sales teams. What You Bring (Briefcase) High school diploma or equivalent required; degree in Business, Engineering, or Technology preferred, not required. 3–5 years of experience in R&D, invention, innovation, problem solving, mechanical/technical experimentation, or continuous improvement. Mechanical aptitude and hands-on comfort with industrial equipment. Strong interest in business strategy, scaling operations, or entrepreneurship. Experience working on projects, student teams, side ventures, or self-driven technical/learning projects is a plus. Skills & Strengths (Head) Strong research and rapid prototyping skills — able to ideate, build, test, and iterate in days, not months. Analytical thinker with solid data analysis and technical-writing skills (Excel, Minitab, experiment reports). Creative problem solver who connects missing pieces and finds unconventional solutions. Quickly earns respect and influence without needing formal authority. Thinks like an owner — understands how daily decisions impact revenue, margin, throughput, and profitability. Natural coach who uplifts peers and junior team members. Curious mind with a genuine interest in equipment, tinkering, process behavior, and how things work. ?? Who You Are (Heart) You bring energy, discipline, and an unmistakably high personal standard. You love to learn — not because someone told you to, but because curiosity is wired into you. You tinker, experiment, ask great questions, and persevere long after most people would stop. You thrive in environments that change daily, where ambiguity is normal, and improvement is constant. You're entrepreneurial, resourceful, and excited by the opportunity to help launch and scale a new multi-million-dollar business line. You influence naturally, communicate well, build trust quickly, and take ownership without waiting for permission. Most of all, you're determined to make an outsized impact and grow into a future leader at Dynamic. Why You'll Love Working Here Purpose with Impact: Help give electronics their "next best life" while protecting the planet. Award-Winning Culture: Certified Great Place to Work® since 2017. Innovation Encouraged: We welcome creativity and fresh perspectives. Growth Opportunities: Access to professional development and career advancement. Values-Driven Organization: We live our core values every day. ?? EEO Statement Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing fair employment opportunities for all based on merit. For positions subject to state contract requirements, we adhere to state affirmative action obligations and take proactive steps to ensure equal opportunity in our hiring practices. We do not discriminate or make any employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Keywords: Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, Dubuque , Management Trainee - Research & Development and Future Business Leader, Engineering , Onalaska, Iowa