Manager/Senior Manager, Analytical Research Lab

Colgate; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 150,000 - 169,000; Full time

Job summary

Hill's Pet Nutrition, a part of Colgate-Palmolive, seeks an Analytical Research Lab Manager. This leadership role involves developing analytical methods for pet nutrition research, guiding a technical team, and aligning with overall research strategies. Candidates should have advanced qualifications and experience in managing scientific personnel.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

Minimum 15 PTO days

401(k) retirement plan with company matching

Paid parental leave

Disability coverage

Qualifications

• Master's in Chemistry or related field required.
• At least 5 years in a research laboratory setting.
• Experience leading technical teams (2+ years).

Responsibilities

• Lead the Technical Team to meet departmental goals.
• Drive analytical excellence and optimize methods.
• Develop and lead the annual functional budget.

Skills

Analytical Method Development

Leadership

Statistical Analysis

Education

Master's in Chemistry

PhD in Chemistry (Preferred)

Tools

Gas Chromatography

Liquid Chromatography

Mass Spectrometry

Job description

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A part of Colgate-Palmolive since 1976, Hill's Pet Nutrition offers the highest-quality pet nutrition available through product lines Prescription Diet and Science Diet. Veterinarians worldwide recommend and feed their own pets Hill's products more than any other brand of pet food.

Available in approximately 80 countries around the world, our extensive line of products includes more than 60 Prescription Diet brand pet foods and more than 50 Science Diet brand pet foods.

We believe all animals should be loved and cared for during their lifetimes. That is why we are proud our pet foods can make a difference in your pet's life.

A career at Hill’s Pet Nutrition or Colgate-Palmolive is an excellent opportunity if you seek a global experience, constant challenge, and development opportunities in an environment that respects work/life effectiveness.

Job Title: Manager/Senior Manager, Analytical Research Lab

Travel Required?: Travel - up to 10% of time

Date: May 31, 2025

On-site

Relocation Assistance Offered Within Country
Job Number#165998 - Topeka, Kansas, United States

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specializing in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Hill's Pet Nutrition is seeking an Analytical Research Lab Manager to join our Research & Innovation team at our Pet Nutrition Center. This role is pivotal in driving the development and execution of analytical services that support research and new product development. The successful candidate will lead a dedicated analytical team, be responsible for the creation and maintenance of a pioneering research laboratory, and establish innovative analytical methods to analyze food and biological samples. This position will also shape short- and long-term strategies to deliver new products, product improvements, and substantiated product claims.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the Technical Team:
  • Provide technical guidance, mentor, and day-to-day support, ensuring departmental goals are met.
  • Collaborate to offer technical consultation to internal customers, develop engaging lab tour content for diverse audiences, and strengthen internal customer relationships.
  • Champion a team culture of experimentation, innovation and continuous improvement
  • Partner with team members to set annual individual goals aligned with departmental objectives, delivering feedback and coaching through informal interactions and quarterly performance reviews.
• Drive Analytical Excellence:
  • Research, assess, develop, optimize, improve, and validate analytical methods to support campus-wide research efforts, guiding analytical scientists in establishing these techniques.
  • Perform data analysis, including interpretation, summarization, review, and reporting through data uploads, final reports, and technical summaries.
  • Document procedures, handle schedules and workloads, facilitate cross-training, and maintain efficient sample/data turnaround times with the team.
  • Collaborate with the Systems team and internal stakeholdersto prioritize lab sample queues, being responsible for data flow to ensure integrity and accountability.
  • Ensure lab operations follow SOPs, written protocols, scientists’ objectives, Science & Technology (S&T) EHS guidelines, and applicable government regulations.
• Alignment with Science & Technology Strategy:
  • Work with the manager to refine research strategies, establish annual department goals, budgets, and priorities that align with S&T and Research & Innovation objectives.
  • Regularly engage with S&T internal customers to ensure effective analytical support.
  • Develop and lead the annual functional budget, track monthly spending to meet targets, and buildcapital plans
• Networkand Best Practices:
  • Collaborate with other Colgate technology centers to share standard processes, technology, insights, and leverage collective buying power and scientific expertise across sites.
  • Stay informed on advancements in equipment and methods, evaluating external vendor technologies and applications to maintain or enhance analytical capabilities.

Required Qualifications:

• Master'sin Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related analytical field.
• At least 5 years of experience in a research laboratory setting, including experimental design and statistical analysis.
• At least 2 years of experience leading technical or scientific personnel
• Proven expertise in method development using analytical instrumentation, including gas and liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related analytical field.
• Experience developing protocols for robust testing applications with food and biological samples.
• Sophisticated expertise in method development on LC-MS and HPLC equipment.

Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range $150,000.00 - $168,500.00 USD

Pay is determined based on experience, qualifications, and location. Salaried employees may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, profit-sharing, and long-term incentives for Executive-level roles.

Benefits: Salaried employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our purpose starts with our people — ensuring our workforce represents the people and communities we serve —and creating an environment where our people feel they belong; where we can be our authentic selves, feel treated with respect and have the support of leadership to impact the business in a meaningful way.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here .

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