Principal Microbiologist

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.

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.

Qualifications

• 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.

Pay

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.