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.

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.

• 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.