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.
Principal Microbiologist
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About this position
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.
We are seeking an experienced Principal Microbiologist to join our HBC R&D team and serve as a technical leader in microbiology across product categories. In this role, the individual will partner closely with Product Development and Supply Chain to ensure microbiological integrity of our products, defend product claims, and support informed decision-making while proactively mitigating microbiological risk.
As a recognized subject matter expert, the Principal Microbiologist will provide leadership in preservation strategies, regulatory interpretation, and microbiological risk assessment. The individual will also play a key role in mentoring scientists, strengthening overall R&D microbiology capability, and representing the organization externally in industry forums.
This role is responsible for overseeing R&D microbiological testing, advancing complex study design, and ensuring alignment with both regulatory expectations and manufacturing requirements.
What you´ll do
- Lead microbiological support across multiple Product Development teams, ensuring product preservation and antibacterial efficacy strategies are scientifically robust and fit-for-purpose.
- Oversee R&D microbiological testing, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations, product risk, and business needs.
- Design and oversee advanced microbiological studies (e.g., preservative efficacy, time kill, Healthcare Personnel Handwash) to support formula development and claims substantiation, including antibacterial claims.
- Provide expert interpretation of FDA monographs and global regulatory guidance, translating requirements into actionable development and testing strategies.
- Lead cross-functional partnerships with Quality, Hygiene, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to assess microbiological risk, support root cause investigations, and translate complex microbiological data into clear, actionable insights for stakeholders.
- Mentor and develop junior scientists, elevating overall microbiology capability and ensuring knowledge transfer across the organization.
- Lead strategic technical initiatives, such as microbiology laboratory capability expansion.
Represent the organization in external industry groups and serve as a recognized microbiology delegate
What makes you a good fit
- Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology or related biological science (advanced degree preferred).
- Extensive industry experience (10+ years) in microbiology, with demonstrated expertise in antibacterial product development, preservation, and regulatory compliance.
- Deep knowledge of FDA regulatory frameworks, including interpretation and application to product development and claims.
- Proven experience designing and leading complex microbiological studies and translating results into defensible business decisions.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing microbiology, hygiene systems, and microbiological risk management in production environments.
- Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and represent the organization externally.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to distill complex microbiological concepts into clear, persuasive messaging.
- Strong leadership, mentoring, and strategic thinking capabilities.
Henkel’s R&D laboratories are expected to relocate to Trumbull in the second half of 2027. This position will relocate along with the team and will be based on-site at our Trumbull R&D Center once the transition is complete. Please note that relocation benefits will not be offered as part of this move.
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 range for this role is $110,000-120,000.00. 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: 26098746
Job Locations: United States, CT, Stamford, CT | United States, CT, Trumbull, 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
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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, our recommendation is to 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 our expectation that Henkel employees will want to grow and explore different career paths during their time with us. 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 in 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.
If I have questions regarding my application, who do I contact?
Our recruiting team will help you with all requests regarding your application. Contact the team here.