Principal Scientist

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Principal Scientist

Consumer Brands Research & Development United States, Darien, CT, CT Full Time Regular

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About this Position

At Henkel, you'll be part of an organization that's shaping the future through innovation, sustainability and collaboration. With our trusted brands like Persil, 'all, Loctite, Snuggle, and Schwarzkopf and our cutting-edge technologies, you'll have countless opportunities to explore new paths and grow.

This position is with our Consumer Brands business unit - where we empower our employees to bring the best Laundry & Home Care and Hair products to people around the world.

Dare to learn new skills, advance in your career and make an impact at Henkel.

What you´ll do

• Independently lead the formulation design, development, optimization, and scale-up of hair care and styling products from ideation through commercialization
• Apply advanced technical expertise in surfactants, conditioning systems, polymers, emulsions, silicones, rheology modifiers, and active delivery systems to create innovative formulations
• Identify and solve complex formulation, stability, compatibility, and manufacturing challenges
• Translate consumer insights, market trends, and performance benchmarks into technically viable product solutions
• Design and execute experimental plans, analyze data, and drive formulation decisions based on sound scientific principles
• Lead technical assessment of competitive products and identify opportunities for innovation and differentiation
• Partner closely with pilot plant and manufacturing teams to ensure smooth scale-up, process optimization, and robust commercialization
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Regulatory, Quality, Packaging, and Procurement to ensure products meet all performance, compliance, and cost requirements
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior scientists and support the development of team capabilities
• Develop products and work processes in accordance with Henkel SHE-Q Standards ensuring consumer safety and compliance with applicable regulations.
• Follow established or create occupational workplace assessments, HAZOPs, and SOPs as needed to maintain a safe

What makes you a good fit

• B.S/ M.S. in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related scientific discipline 10+ years of formulation development experience in hair care and/or styling products
• Demonstrated success independently developing and commercializing hair care or styling products
• Deep technical knowledge of formulation chemistry and structure-property relationships relevant to hair care systems
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Experience with scale-up, manufacturing transfer, and commercialization processes
• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results in a fast-paced environment
• Strong presentation, organizational and interpersonal skills are critical
• Provide technical mentorship and guidance to junior scientists, including helping structure and prioritize daily work, supporting experimental planning and execution, and fostering scientific development
• Ability to travel 15% of time

Some benefits of joining Henkel

• Health Insurance: affordable plans for medical, dental, vision and wellbeing starting on day 1
• Work-Life Balance: Paid time off including sick, vacation, holiday and volunteer time, flexible & hybrid work policies (depending on role), and vacation buy / sell program
• Financial: 401k matching, employee share plan with voluntary investment and Henkel matching shares, annual performance bonus, service awards and student loan reimbursement
• Family Support: 12-week gender neutral parental leave (up to 20 weeks for parents giving birth), fertility support, adoption & surrogacy reimbursement, discounted child and elderly care, and scholarships
• Career Growth: diverse national and international growth opportunities, access to thousands of skills development courses, and tuition reimbursement

Henkel's R&D labs are planned to relocate to Trumbull in the latter half of 2027. Accordingly, this position will relocate with the team and will be based on-site at our Trumbull R&D Center once the move is complete. Relocation benefits will not be provided as a result of this move.

The salary range for this role is $110000.00 and $120000.00. This range represents the good‑faith minimum and maximum wages the Company reasonably expects to offer for this role at the time of posting. In addition to base salary, this position may be eligible for incentive pay or other forms of compensation, as applicable. The Company also offers a comprehensive benefits package as described above. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as the candidate's skills, experience, education, training, and work location. This posting is intended to comply with all applicable state and local pay transparency laws.

Henkel does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or employment agencies. Unsolicited referrals and resumes are considered Henkel property and therefore, Henkel will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited referral.

At Henkel, we come from a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. We believe the uniqueness of all our employees is the power in us. Henkel is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

JOB ID: 26096047

Job Locations: United States, CT, Darien, CT

Contact information for application-related questions: talent.acquisition@henkel.com

Please do not use this email address for sending your application or CV. To apply, please click on the "Apply for this role" button below. Applications sent via e-mail will not be accepted.

Application Deadline: As long as the vacancy is listed on our Career Site, we are happy to receive your application

Job-Center: If you have an application already, you can create or log in to your account here to check the status of your application. In case of new account creation, please use your email address that you applied with.

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How is work at Henkel

About Henkel

Building on a strong legacy of almost 150 years, we are leading the way to reimagine and improve life every day. Today and for generations to come. Through our innovative and sustainable brands and technologies, across our teams around the world.

Henkel holds leading positions in both industrial and consumer businesses: Our portfolio includes well-known hair care products, laundry detergents, fabric softeners as well as adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings.

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This is Henkel

FAQ

I am interested in several jobs. Can I apply for multiple positions at the same time?

Yes - simply fill out your profile in our online application system. Once your online profile is complete, you can apply for multiple positions.

The job offer is written in English - should I write my application in English as well?

Yes, please. As Henkel is an international company you will be working with colleagues from all over the world and English is our official company language. Generally, the 'rule' is: please write the application in the same language as the job ad.

Do I get feedback during the application process about the state of my application?

Each position that we have open with Henkel is unique, and finding the right candidate is important for both the hired candidate as well as for Henkel. We want to make sure that both the candidate and the company are a good fit for each other. We will provide feedback to the candidates throughout the entire process.

Can employees move between business areas and/or to a different country?

Yes, in fact it is an expectation within Henkel that our talent is flexible and mobile. This helps to support the company on a broad, global level.

Our "Triple Two" philosophy promotes this expectation, by allowing you to work in at least two different roles, in two different business areas and two different countries. The reason behind this philosophy is that we believe working in different roles, business units and functions is good for your personal development and improves your understanding of Henkel as a global company.

Here you will get further information on our training programs.

Whom do I contact if I have questions concerning my application?

Our recruiting team will help you with all requests regarding your application. Contact the team here.

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