Ok, it is now a done deal. In just over a week, the change happens on paper. My transition will take a few months as I need to close out my current project before moving over to R&D. My new title will be "Field Applications Engineer" and I report to the senior manager of R&D.
I've got a lot to learn and get familiar with in a short time - very excited and I KNOW this will not be a walk in the park. I'm up for it!