Postdoctoral Research Scientist - Oral Health

Requisition
176041
-Posted
09/18/2026

- Research & Development

- United States

- New Jersey

- Piscataway

- Colgate-Palmolive

- Travel - up to 10% of time

- On-site

No Relocation Assistance Offered
Job Number#176041 - 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 is seeking a highly motivated and proactive Postdoctoral Research Scientist for a fixed 2 year term supporting the Research & Innovation Oral Care Group, Global R&D. A successful candidate will specialize in understanding interbacterial interactions with the microbiome and their functional relationships with the host. The candidate will identify the role of therapeutic interventions that can module the oral microbiome to improve the health status of the oral environment.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of next-generation therapies targeting aimed to promote gum health

Responsibilities:

Conduct research to understand the interactions among oral bacteria.

Apply theory and mechanisms in microbial ecology and experimental and mathematical approaches to investigate changes in community dynamics and ecosystem function as a response to novel therapies.

Develop and employ laboratory methods to study changes in the oral microbiome (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) with host immune response following therapeutic interventions.

Analyze complex imaging data to understand population dynamics and measure the ecological impact of oral care interventions on the microbiome.

Translate complex scientific research into comprehensible information for technical and non-technical audiences and multidisciplinary teams.

Prepare and present research findings in written reports, scientific publications, and oral presentations.

Support new and marketed technologies through cross-functional collaborations including clinical, product development, safety and regulatory.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Microbiology ( Microbial pathogenesis, Microbial Population Genetics, Microbial ecology ) or a related field.
• Research experience in one or more of the following areas:

Experience with microbiological and molecular biology laboratory techniques and analysis.

Experience with oral microbiome, population-scale microbiology, and host immune response.

Proven scientific publication record.

Strong skills and experience with confocal and spectral imaging, bioinformatics, and flow cytometry.

Statistical software and programming (R and/or Python).

Preferred Qualifications:

Understanding of oral immunology, mucosal immunology, and cell culture techniques.

Understanding in mathematical ecology and mucosal immunity.

Understanding of bioorganometallic chemistry.

Strong skills in problem solving, communication (written/verbal) and collaboration with teams.

Microbiome/bacteria-tissue co-culture systems.

Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range $90,000.00 - $96,000.00 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…