Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company is seeking a highly motivated and creative scientist to join our innovation efforts in the areas of microbiology and microbial control as a Principal Microbiologist within the Water Anchor Research Development and Engineering group at our Naperville Technical Center in Illinois.
This position will be responsible for conducting and leading research, development, and problem-solving projects to enable new product and platform technology development for applications in water treatment. This will also require working closely with other divisional RD&E teams to design and execute test work and communicate results. We are seeking candidates who have strong collaboration skills, are self-motivated, have good communication skills, are creative problem solvers, and possess strong observation and perception skills. This position represents a valuable and visible opportunity for a creative scientist to develop differentiated products and expand the current innovation portfolio in the field of water treatment and microbial control.
What's in it For You:
- The opportunity to take on some of the world's most meaningful challenges, helping customers achieve clean water, safe food, abundant energy, and healthy environments
- The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth
- The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives and ideas to achieve our best
- A culture that values safety first, including training and personal protection.
What You Will Do:
- As part of a diverse, global, multidisciplinary cross-functional team, a researcher in this position will collaborate directly with other scientists, research leaders, marketers, sales teams, and customers to develop, evaluate and deploy technical offerings.
- Opportunity identification, ideation, initial feasibility analysis, process and product development, leading to commercial introduction of new programs and customer solutions.
- Lead projects and program segments to meet technical and business objectives.
- Develop new products, analytical tools, and systems integrating automation, equipment, and digital components to solve customer problems and deliver differentiated value in the area of microbial control for industrial water systems.
- Provide advanced support for technologies within the existing product line and application area, following appropriate training
- Plan and perform relevant experiments and interpret results to develop solutions to complex research problems.
- Appropriately document and communicate all research and support activities using formal/informal reports and presentations.
- Provide consulting/mentoring on experimental design and work direction for junior associates.
- Provide technical support to assist the sales process. At times, this will require travel at a level up to 15%.
- Ensure that all research activities are performed with safety as the top priority.
Minimum Qualifications:
- PhD in Microbiology or related field and 0 or more years of R&D experience; a Master's Degree in Microbiology or related field and 1 or more years of R&D experience; a Bachelor's Degree Microbiology or related field and 2 or more years of R&D experience
- Experience in technical leadership, communications, and management of complex research projects involving multi-functional teams.
- Experience in the design and development of chemical technologies/formulations based on defined performance metrics.
- Experience in microbiological laboratory techniques and design of experiment, analytical techniques, and chemical product characterization
- Ability to travel up to 15%
- Immigration Sponsorship not available for this role.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Background in microbial ecology, microbial physiology, water treatment and/or mitigation of microbiological growth and activity
- Familiarity with industrial water system operations and technical challenges
- Understanding of surface/interfacial chemistry and biochemistry
- Understanding of fundamental physical/chemical/biological properties and structural activity relationships influencing microbiological activity and biofilm formation/disruption
- A strong record of delivering innovative technologies
- Familiarity with the use of chemical and biocidal products in industrial applications
- Familiarity with the integration of equipment, automation, and digital technologies to industrial applications
- Experience interacting directly with business leaders and customers to understand application needs and formulate technical specifications to aid in the design of product/platform solutions
Annual or Hourly Compensation Range
Benefits Ecolab strives to provide comprehensive and market-competitive benefits to meet the needs of our associates and their families.Click here to see our benefits. If you are viewing this posting on a site other than our Ecolab Career website, view our benefits at jobs.ecolab.com/working-here.
Potential Customer Requirements Notice To meet customer requirements and comply with local or state regulations, applicants for certain customer-facing roles may need to: - Undergo additional background screens and/or drug/alcohol testing for customer credentialing. - Be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, including a booster if eligible, unless a religious or medical accommodation is requested by the applicant and approved by Ecolab. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Ecolab will provide reasonable accommodation (such as a qualified sign language interpreter or other personal assistance) with our application process upon request as required to comply with applicable laws. If you have a disability and require accommodation assistance in this application process, please visit the Recruiting Support link in the footer of each page of our career website. Our Commitment to a Culture of Inclusion & Belonging
At Ecolab, we believe the best teams are inclusive. We are on a journey to create a workplace where every associate can grow and achieve their best. We are committed to fair and equal treatment of associates and applicants and recruit, hire, promote, transfer and provide opportunities for advancement based on individual qualifications and job performance. In all matters affecting employment, compensation, benefits, working conditions, and opportunities for advancement, we will not discriminate against any associate or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, creed, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expressions, genetic information, marital status, age, disability, or status as a covered veteran. In addition, we are committed to furthering the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) through Affirmative Action (AA). We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.
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ECOLAB
Jun 03, 2026