Principal Microbiologist

Henkel Corporation; Stamford (CT); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Henkel Corporation is seeking an experienced Principal Microbiologist to lead microbiology across R&D and product development, ensuring preservation strategies and antibacterial efficacy. You will mentor scientists, oversee complex studies, and work with Quality, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to translate data into actionable insights.

The role emphasizes regulatory interpretation, risk assessment, and collaboration across multifunctional teams to support manufacturing requirements and product

Responsibilities

• Lead microbiological support across multiple Product Development teams, ensuring 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 externally in industry groups and serve as a recognized microbiology delegate.

Job description

About this Position

At Henkel, you’ll be part of an organization that’s shaping thefuture through innovation, sustainability and collaboration. With our trustedbrands like Persil®, ‘all®, Loctite®, Snuggle®, and Schwarzkopf® and ourcutting-edge technologies, you’ll have countless opportunities to explore newpaths and grow.

This position is with our Consumer Brands business unit – where weempower our employees to bring the best Laundry & Home Care and Hairproducts to people around the world.

Dare to learn new skills, advance inyour 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.