Principal Scientist

Kenvue is currently recruiting for a:

Principal Scientist

What we do

At Kenvue, we realize the extraordinary power of everyday care. Built on over a century of heritage and rooted in science, we’re the house of iconic brands - including NEUTROGENA®, AVEENO®, TYLENOL®, LISTERINE®, JOHNSON’S® and BAND-AID® that you already know and love. Science is our passion; care is our talent.

Who We Are

Our global team is ~ 22,000 brilliant people with a workplace culture where every voice matters, and every contribution is appreciated.  We are passionate about insights, innovation and committed to delivering the best products to our customers. With expertise and empathy, being a Kenvuer means having the power to impact millions of people every day. We put people first, care fiercely, earn trust with science and solve with courage – and have brilliant opportunities waiting for you! Join us in shaping our future–and yours. For more information, click here.

Role reports to:

Sr. Director, Front-End Innovation Skin Health

Location:

North America, United States, New Jersey, Summit

Work Location:

Fully Onsite

What you will do

The Senior/Principal Scientist, R&D plays a critical role in driving consumer-centric, science-led innovation by translating insights into impactful product and technology solutions. This role serves as a technical and/or scientific leader on cross-functional teams, partnering closely with Commercial, Marketing, Insights, Regulatory, Manufacturing, and Data Science to deliver against innovation pipelines and business objectives.

The position requires strong scientific rigor, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage multiple complex projects concurrently. The individual will lead research and development activities, integrate consumer and market insights, and apply best-in-class methodologies to inform product design, optimization, claims, and commercialization while ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

Scientific & Technical Leadership

• Serve as a scientific or technical lead on cross-functional project teams, supporting innovation, product development, and commercialization initiatives.
• Design, plan, and execute research and development activities using appropriate qualitative, quantitative, analytical, or experimental methodologies.
• Apply scientific judgment to solve complex technical challenges and guide decision-making across the development lifecycle.

Consumer & Insight Integration

• Partner with commercial, marketing, and insights teams to understand consumer, customer, and healthcare professional unmet needs.
• Translate consumer and market insights into actionable scientific, technical, and product recommendations.
• Ensure a strong linkage between consumer needs, scientific evidence, and product or technology solutions.

Project & Program Management

• Lead and manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring alignment to timelines, scope, resources, and strategic priorities.
• Monitor progress, manage risks, and adjust plans as needed to deliver high-quality outcomes.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners, including vendors and research collaborators, to ensure timely and rigorous execution.

Data, Analysis & Communication

• Analyze, synthesize, and interpret research data to generate clear, compelling insights.
• Communicate complex scientific and technical information effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Contribute to technical reports, documentation, presentations, and other knowledge-sharing outputs.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Compliance

• Work closely with Regulatory, Quality, and Manufacturing teams to ensure research and development activities meet applicable regulatory, ethical, and quality standards.
• Support technology transfer, scale-up, and commercialization activities as needed.
• Stay current with scientific, technical, and regulatory developments to ensure best practices.

Capability Building & Leadership

• Contribute to capability development through knowledge sharing, mentoring, and participation in communities of practice.
• Identify and champion opportunities to improve methodologies, tools, processes, or ways of working.
• Demonstrate leadership by influence and foster a collaborative, innovation-driven culture.