Postdoctoral Research Scientist - Surfactant and Colloid

No Relocation Assistance Offered

Job Number#176591 - Piscataway, New Jersey, 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.

Colgate-Palmolive invites applications from early-career PhD scientists for a Postdoctoral Research Scientist (PDRS) position for a fixed two year term at our Global Technology Center in Piscataway, NJ. This role investigates the fundamental colloid science, surfactant self-assembly, and interfacial phenomena governing next-generation dentifrice formulations. The researcher will lead core scientific investigations into substituting conventional alkyl sulfates with bio-based, mild surfactant platforms, focusing on taurates (such as sodium methyl cocoyl taurate) and acyl amino acid surfactants (glycinates, sarcosinates, and glutamates).

Primary responsibilities include mapping multi-component phase spaces, thermodynamic interactions, and transport kinetics among these surfactants, therapeutic active agents (stannous, zinc, basic amino acids, and bioavailable fluoride systems), complex flavor oil emulsions, and mineral abrasive dispersions.

Key Responsibilities:

Experimental Colloid Science & Phase Behavior:
Design and execute experimental protocols to characterize the phase behavior, micro-emulsion structures, and self-assembly of taurate and amino acid-based surfactant systems for oral care applications.

Active and Particulate Interaction Mapping:
Investigate the thermodynamic, electrostatic, and chemical interactions occurring between taurate/amino acid surfactants and critical dentifrice components, including polyvalent therapeutic cations (Sn2+, Zn2+), basic amino acids, fluoride sources, and inorganic abrasives (hydrated silica, calcium carbonate, calcium pyrophosphate).

Flavor Release Dynamics and Delivery Science:
Build kinetic and thermodynamic models using the Hydrophilic-Lipophilic Deviation (HLD) framework to characterize flavor oil solubilization, micro-emulsion phase boundaries, and dynamic headspace partitioning under simulated oral dilution conditions.

Digital Formulation & Predictive Methodology:
Advance corporate digitization and modeling initiatives by integrating experimental rheological, tensiometric, and phase data into predictive machine-learning and computational thermodynamic models to compress formulation design timelines.

Cross-Functional Scientific

Collaboration:

Translate fundamental academic discoveries into actionable product design rules by collaborating across Early Research, Formulation Development, Analytical Sciences, Clinical Research, and Intellectual Property teams.

Scientific Dissemination & Intellectual Property:
Present research insights to internal R&D governance committees, author comprehensive internal technical reports, draft invention disclosures, and publish high-impact peer-reviewed manuscripts in premier international colloid and physical chemistry journals.

Required Qualifications:

Ph.D. in Colloid and Interface Science, Chemical Engineering, Physical Chemistry, Materials Science, Soft Matter Physics, or a closely related STEM discipline.

Technical experience in either…