Role reports to:
Assoc Director, Self Care RD Engineering

Location:
North America, United States, New Jersey, Summit

Work Location:
Hybrid

What you will do

The Principal Scientist, Digital Enablement will play a key role in accelerating innovation across Kenvue by embedding digital technologies, AI capabilities, and data-driven solutions into product development teams. This individual will lead the identification, development, and deployment of digital tools and frameworks that improve scientific workflows, enhance knowledge management, and drive greater efficiency, productivity, and decision-making across R&D. Partnering closely with scientists, engineers, and cross-functional stakeholders, they will translate complex technical challenges into scalable digital solutions that support faster, more effective product development. The role requires a unique blend of hands-on product development expertise, digital transformation leadership, process improvement, and change management capabilities. In addition, the Principal Scientist will champion the adoption of emerging technologies, mentor colleagues, and help shape the future of AI-enabled innovation at Kenvue while ensuring rigorous scientific, regulatory, and compliance standards are maintained.

Key Responsibilities

Lead R&D Digital Transformation

• Identify, prioritize, and deploy high-impact digital capabilities across the product development lifecycle.
• Accelerate the adoption of generative AI (e.g. Microsoft Copilot), AI-enabled workflows, knowledge systems, digital laboratories, and emerging technologies.
• Partner with Tech & Data, digital capabilities team, external partners, , and R&D leadership to develop and execute strategic capability roadmaps.
• Establish scalable approaches for AI-enabled product development and innovation processes.

Enable Product Development Excellence

• Embed directly within R&D project teams to identify workflow inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.
• Improve speed, quality, knowledge reuse, and decision-making across new product development programs.
• Support teams from concept generation through commercialization using modern digital capabilities.
• Help establish best practices that enhance first-time-right execution and reduce cycle times.

Advance Front-End Innovation

• Support concept generation, opportunity identification, and technical feasibility assessments.
• Leverage AI, digital insights, and data-driven methods to strengthen innovation pipelines.
• Improve translation of consumer, healthcare professional, and market insights into actionable technical development plans.
• Promote rapid experimentation, learning cycles, and innovation efficiency.

Build R&D Knowledge Systems

• Develop and improve knowledge management practices, metadata standards, and structured documentation approaches.
• Support enterprise knowledge platforms and AI-ready content strategies.
• Improve discoverability and reuse of technical knowledge across projects and functional teams.
• Promote strong data governance and documentation practices.

Drive Adoption and Organizational Change

• Champion new ways of working across technical organizations.
• Develop training materials, best practices, communities of practice, and reusable playbooks.
• Coach scientists and engineers on AI, automation, and digital capability utilization.
• Build organizational engagement through visible leadership, storytelling, and demonstrated business impact.

Measure Value Creation

• Define adoption of metrics and business impact measures.
• Track improvements in productivity, cycle-time reduction, knowledge reuse, quality, and project execution.
• Support development of ROI and value-realization frameworks for digital investments.
• Communicate outcomes and success stories to R&D and enterprise leadership.

What We Are Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmacy, Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 6+ years of progressive experience in research and development, formulation development, R&D engineering, innovation, or related technical fields, preferably in digital enablement or related scientific fields.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience delivering consumer health, OTC, personal care, cosmetics, medical device, or related products.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex research projects with minimal supervision.
• Experience leading cross-functional projects and influencing stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of product development processes, stage-gate methodologies, technical risk management, and commercialization activities.
• Demonstrated experience leading digital transformation, process improvement, capability-building, or innovation-enablement initiatives.
• Experience working with AI platforms, Microsoft Copilot, digital knowledge systems, analytics platforms, or other enterprise digital capabilities.
• Exceptional communication, facilitation, and change management skills to articulate digital strategies and scientific concepts effectively across diverse teams.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements and quality standards applicable to scientific research and data management.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in applying continuous improvement principles to scientific research and development processes.
• Lean Product Development, Six Sigma, or Process Excellence certification.
• Experience deploying AI-enabled workflows within technical organizations.
• Experience building enterprise-wide capability programs and adoption initiatives.
• Experience with knowledge management, metadata strategies, or enterprise search capabilities.
• Familiarity with regulated environments including OTC, consumer health, cosmetics, medical device, or pharmaceutical development.
• Experience supporting digital governance, portfolio management, or enterprise transformation initiatives.
• Demonstrated track record of fostering collaborative environments that encourage experimentation and adoption of new technologies.

What's in it for you

Annual base salary for new hires in this position ranges:

$127,075.00 - $179,400.00

This takes into account a number of factors including work location, the candidate's skills, experience, education level & other job-related factors.

• Competitive Benefit Package*
• Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Volunteer Time & More!
• Learning & Development Opportunities
• Kenvuer Impact Networks
• This list could vary based on location/region

*Note: Total Rewards at Kenvue include salary, bonus (if applicable) and benefits. Your Talent Access Partner will be able to share more about our total rewards offerings and the specific salary range for the relevant location(s) during the recruitment & hiring process.