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
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Job Title:  Research Scientist
Travel Required?:  Travel - up to 10% of time
Posting Start Date:  2/11/26
On-site

No Relocation Assistance Offered
Job Number #171279 - 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.
 

Do you want to come to work with a smile and leave with one as well? In between those smiles, your day consists of working in a global organization, continually learning and collaborating, having stimulating discussions, and making impactful contributions!

If this is how you see your career, Colgate is the place to be!

Our dependable household brands, dedicated employees, and sustainability commitments make us a company passionate about building a future to smile about for our employees, consumers, and surrounding communities. The pride in our brand fuels a workplace that encourages creative thinking, champions experimentation, and promotes authenticity which has contributed to our enduring success.

If you want to work for a company that lives by their values, then give your career a reason to smile...every single day.

In today's dynamic environment, it is an exciting time to be a part of the research and technology team at Colgate. Our highly technical and innovative team is dedicated to driving growth for Colgate Palmolive in this ever-changing landscape. What role will you play as a member of the Colgate's Research & Development team? As a Research Scientist, you will work on exciting skin care innovation and new product formulation. We are a team of innovators looking for scientists who are passionate about skincare technologies and groundbreaking solutions for our consumers! You will be responsible for participating in this research and bringing new product innovation to market across our product portfolios.

What you will do

  • Develop and implement premium skin care products including cleanser, sunscreens, and anti-aging products from idea to scale-up by working together with extended R&D team and Contract Manufacturers, ensuring the development of the product meets all formulation requirements and successful scalability

  • Support pre and post-launch activities for the premium skin care products including claims substantiation and formula/ processing optimization 

  • Collects, evaluates and communicates all data collected internally and externally from stability, efficacy and clinical testing and collaborates with Regulatory towards global registration, claims and Quality compliance.

  • Manage stability program by ensuring all testing and analysis is done in time to support OTC documentation both internally as well as external collection of data

  • Work with internal and external cross-functional teams in Research & Development, Marketing, Supply Chain to support and/ or develop new technologies and products 

  • Interpret and communicate experimental results to technical and non-technical business partners

  • Manage internal (ie peers, marketing) and external (ie suppliers, labs, researchers) partnerships and communication (i.e., Suppliers) through data sharing and project updates

  • Lead key partnerships and communication through data sharing and project updates

  • Complies with all policies and standards

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Physical Sciences or related science

  • At least 1 year of formulation experience in Skin Care/ Sun Care product development

  • Experience in managing projects requiring OTC stability

  • Experience in formulating cleansers, sunscreens, emulsions, serums

  • Experience in successfully scaling up a formulation for launch

  • Product formulation, evaluation and testing experience and passion about lab experimentation

  • Strong communication skills

  • Leadership skills in working with teams, project partners and external contract manufacturers


Compensation and Benefits
Salary Range $76,800.00 - $107,500.00 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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