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.
Lead Product Development Engineer
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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 Adhesive Technologies business unit – where we empower our people to transform industries and provide our customers with a competitive advantage through adhesives, sealants and functional coatings.
Dare to learn new skills, advance in your career and make an impact at Henkel.
What you´ll do
- Own the product development lifecycle from pilot trials → validation → manufacturing scale‑up → launch.
- Lead DOE/experimental design, data analysis, and optimization to meet performance & Quality.
- Define and execute verification & validation plans.
- Lead pilot plant trials; develop process parameters, batch records, and scale‑up guides.
- Author technical documentation: product specs, SDS inputs, test methods, PPAP (as applicable).
- Serve as technical lead for customer trials, sampling plans, and post‑launch support.
- Partner with Sourcing/Manufacturing on raw material qualification.
- Drive project planning: scope, schedule, risk, resources, and status reporting to stakeholders.
- Mentor junior engineers; promote best practices, standard work, and continuous improvement (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma).
What makes you a good fit
- BS/MS in Chemical, Materials, Mechanical, Polymer, or related engineering field.
- 7–10+ years in product/process development, including scale‑up and validation.
- Proven leadership of cross‑functional projects and mentoring junior engineers.
- Hands‑on experience with pilot equipment (e.g., mixers, mills, extruders, reactors) and lab instrumentation.
- Strong in DOE/statistics, data analysis, and problem solving (Minitab/JMP).
- Familiar with quality systems (ISO/IATF/AS/13485 as relevant) and regulatory frameworks
- Demonstrated customer‑facing technical support and presentation skills.
- Must be willing to travel 20-30% domestically and internationally.
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
The salary for this role is $105,000.00 - $125,000.00. This is the range that we in good faith anticipate relying on when setting wages for this position. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and this range. This salary range may also be modified in the future.
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.
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: 26090715
Job Locations: United States, CA, Irvine, CA
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.
About 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.