Job Description

Established in 1806 as a small soap and candle business in New York City, Colgate-Palmolive is now a truly global company with products sold in over 200 countries and territories under such internationally recognized brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, Haci Sakir, Suavitel, PCA SKIN, EltaMD, Filorga and Hello as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet.

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading consumer products company that serves hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide with brands and products across four core businesses – Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. We are committed to offering products that make lives healthier and more enjoyable, and programs that enrich communities around the world.

Every day millions of people trust our products to care for themselves and the ones they love. Our goal is to use our technology to create products that will continue to improve the quality of life for our consumers wherever they live.

A career at Colgate-Palmolive is an excellent opportunity if you seek a global experience, constant challenge, and development opportunities in an environment that respects work/life effectiveness.

Information at a Glance

Job Title: Research Scientist

Travel Required?: Travel - up to 10% of time

Posting Start Date: 8/3/26

Hybrid

No Relocation Assistance Offered
Job Number #175055 - 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.

Job Title: Research Scientist

Responsibilities include:

Lead the development and implementation of new oral care formulas for North America
Be the R&D point of contact for commercial teams for oral care innovation.
Lead experimental designs to help identity launch formulations and production processes.
Make lab and pilot batches of formulations for stability testing and customer sampling.
Support Pilot Plant batches by preparing batch sheets, requesting raw materials, pre-weighing materials and batch execution.
Support plant trial batches at various North America locations as needed.
Manage multiple stability studies at the lab, pilot and plant scale, working with support groups (analytical, flavor, micro, etc) to deliver samples and follow up on results.
Create/maintain all required R&D documentation to ensure flawless, high quality commercialization. This may include R&D project timelines, formula databases, tech transfer checklists, proof of claims documents, registration documents, NODs, change control documents and technical justifications.
Manage independent projects and collaborate with cross-functional teams, leveraging diverse perspectives to achieve key project goals and influence beyond your network
Create and maintain all required documentation under GMP/GLP per FDA/ICH guidelines as required.
Maintain a clean and organized working environment.
Work on multiple tasks with changing priorities.
Make day-to-day recommendations and escalate issues regarding formula development.
Stay abreast of supplier and competitor’s new developments.
Abide by and follow all company standard operating procedures (SOPs) including those for product development, regulatory and safety.
Deliver effective presentations of technical data and project status.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Food Science or any other related field.

4+ years of experience in formulation development and technical implementation within a consumer goods environment or 2+ years of experience with a Master’s Degree.
Experience scaling up formulations from the lab through pilot or manufacturing scale.
Technical understanding of related chemistry and science (for example: active deliveries, emulsions, surfactants, rheology, liquid chemistry)
Knowledge of cGMP /GMP and GLP

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of equipment and procedures for making oral care formulations
Experience running stability studies for OTC/Drug products
Experience & understanding of producing formulations at the manufacturing scale.
Experience with claim substantiation.
Strong project planning and management experience
Knowledge of Regulatory environment in North America and across the globe.
Knowledge of ICH/FDA guidelines for stability and testing of new drug products.
Able to multi-task and coordinate various simultaneous projects
Strong knowledge of ingredient chemistry to be able to understand how the interdependencies and interactions of raw material components affect formulation and process performance
Strong oral and written communication skills
Self-motivated but able to work well within a team environment
Excellent computer skills (MS Office, Google suite, SAP, etc.)

Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range $96,800.00 - $137,000.00 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 employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, basic life insurance, paid parental leave, disability coverage, and participation in the 401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions subject to eligibility requirements. Additional benefits include a minimum of 15 vacation/PTO days (hourly employees receive a minimum of 120 hours) and 13 paid holidays (vacation days are prorated based on the employee's hire date within the calendar year). Paid sick leave is adjusted based on role and location in accordance with local laws. Detailed information regarding paid sick leave entitlements will be provided to employees upon hiring and may be subject to adjustments based on changes in legislation or company policies.

Our Commitment to Inclusion
Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.

For additional Colgate terms and conditions, please click here.

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