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 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** The pay range for this position is $85,900.00 - $128,900.00. Many factors are taken into consideration when determining compensation, such as experience, education, training, geography, etc. We comply with all minimum wage and overtime laws. **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.