Principal Scientist

Actalent; Bartlett (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental plan

Vision plan

401K

PTO

Holiday pay

Job summary

Actalent, based in Bartlett, IL, seeks a Principal Scientist to lead advanced enzyme research and product innovation with heavy hands-on lab work and technical leadership. The role drives 75% lab activity, patent development, customer collaboration, and team mentoring, all within GMP/SQF compliant frameworks.

Ideal candidates hold a PhD in a scientific field, 3–5 years in R&D and supervision, and proven patent experience.

Qualifications

• PhD required in a scientific discipline.
• 3-5 years of R&D, food science, and supervisory experience.
• Experience leading patent filings and technical teams.
• Proven ability to mentor lab personnel.

Responsibilities

• Execute complex lab experiments and bench-scale research.
• Identify product opportunities through market analysis and customer engagement.
• Develop novel product applications from concept to commercialization.
• Lead end-to-end design and development of new products.
• Deliver presentations at meetings and conferences.
• Supervise and mentor laboratory staff.
• Ensure GMP and SQF compliance.
• Manage external relationships with food research institutes.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to drive business development.
• Oversee lab operations and safety protocols.
• Coordinate with global R&D groups.

Skills

R&D experience in food science

Lab work 75% time

Enzyme experience in food

Patent filing experience

Supervisory experience

PhD

3-5 years experience

Education

PhD in a scientific discipline

Tools

GC

HPLC

Spectrophotometry

Job description

Job Title: Principal Scientist

Job Description

As a Principal Scientist, you will lead advanced enzyme research and product innovation to drive revenue growth and expand market share. This role involves approximately 75% hands-on laboratory work, combined with technical leadership, patent development, customer collaboration, and team management.

Responsibilities

• Execute complex laboratory experiments and bench-scale research under guidance.
• Identify innovative product application opportunities through market analysis and customer engagement, delivering at least two patent applications annually.
• Develop at least three novel product applications annually from initial phase through commercialization.
• Lead the end-to-end design and conceptualization phase for new product development initiatives.
• Deliver high-level presentations to promote technology at key meetings and conferences.
• Manage external relationships with food research institutes.
• Optimize operational performance and long-term productivity of the Technical Services department.
• Ensure strict adherence to GMP and SQF standards, maintaining compliance with corporate quality management.
• Supervise and mentor laboratory personnel to foster professional development.
• Spearhead the development and implementation of innovative product applications.
• Facilitate intellectual property growth by providing technical data for patent applications.
• Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to support business development.
• Lead joint R&D projects with key customers, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
• Provide technical and analytical services to clients for business retention and market expansion.
• Oversee laboratory operations, including equipment maintenance and safety protocols.
• Ensure strict adherence to Food Safety standards, reporting risks promptly.
• Help manage the annual team budget, ensuring fiscal alignment with organizational goals.
• Maintain rigorous documentation standards and coordinate with global R&D groups.
• Uphold administrative excellence by delivering timely reports and escalating food safety concerns.
• Oversee a multidisciplinary team and build a high-performing team through recruitment and mentorship.
• Administer performance-based reviews and manage personnel transitions to ensure departmental excellence.

Essential Skills

• Extensive experience in R&D and food science.
• Proficiency in laboratory work, with 75% of workday dedicated to lab activities.
• Experience working with enzymes in food.
• Proven patent filing experience.
• Supervisory skills for managing direct reports.
• Ph.D. in a scientific discipline.
• 3-5 years' experience in R&D, food science, and supervisory roles.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Advanced scientific reasoning and analytical problem-solving skills.
• Strategic thinking for navigating high-level technical problems.
• Exceptional proficiency in reading, analyzing, and interpreting complex documents.
• Effective communication skills for preparing persuasive articles and presentations.
• Strong organizational and time management skills for balancing laboratory research with administrative responsibilities.
• Hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation such as GC, HPLC, and Spectrophotometry.
• Specialized knowledge of enzyme application.

Work Environment

The role is primarily based in a research and development lab, focusing on hands-on laboratory work, technical leadership, and collaboration with global R&D groups. The environment supports a fast-paced R&D setting where adherence to safety and quality standards is paramount.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Bartlett, IL.

Pay And Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

• Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, PTO, Holiday Pay

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Bartlett,IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 23, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News‑Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.