Research Principal Scientist

Waters Global Research is committed to understanding customer challenges and transforming these insights into innovative separation technologies. Members of Global Research work in highly collaborative cross-functional teams spanning Consumables, Liquid Chromatography, Mass Spectrometry, Clinical, and Informatics technologies to develop novel solutions for complex analytical problems.

We are seeking a highly creative and scientifically driven Principal Scientist to lead research in separation materials, particle technologies, and surface chemistry. This role will focus on inventing and developing next-generation chromatographic and sample preparation materials that enable improved analytical performance for small molecules, biologics, oligonucleotides, emerging modalities, and food & environmental.

The successful candidate will serve as a technical leader within Global Research, translating fundamental materials science into commercially relevant technologies and intellectual property.

Responsibilities

Lead Material Science Innovation

• Conceive, design, and develop novel materials for chromatographic separations and sample preparation.

• Advance research in porous polymeric particles, Hybrid organic-inorganic materials, silica, magnetic particles, functionalized surfaces, and affinity media

• Develop innovative approaches to particle synthesis and surface modification using different particle synthesis approaches, polymerizations, and surface derivatizations

• Design materials with optimized specific applications in reversed-phase, Ion-exchange, HILIC, affinity, mixed-mode, and sample preparation workflows for separations of proteins, monoclonal antibodies, oligonucleotides, peptides, PFAS, and small molecules.

Scientific Leadership

• Serve as a recognized technical expert in materials science and separation technologies, driving rigorous experimental design and data interpretation.

• Provide scientific direction to project teams and mentor junior scientists and researchers.

• Generate and support innovation & intellectual property with invention disclosures and support patent filings, evaluate emerging technologies, literature, and competitive innovations

• Identify external collaborations with academia, suppliers, and strategic partners.

• Communicate findings through technical reports, publications, presentations, and patents.

• Collaborate with different groups within global research, development, commercial, and strategy teams, as well as managing external collaborations with industry and academia

Qualifications

Required

• Ph.D. in Polymer Chemistry, Materials Science, Analytical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related scientific discipline with 8+ years research experience in academia or industry.

• Demonstrated expertise in particle synthesis, polymer chemistry, or chromatographic materials.

• Proven record of innovation through patents, publications, or commercialized technologies.

Preferred

• Experience developing chromatographic stationary phases, magnetic bead technologies, surface functionalization strategies, and or bioseparation materials

• Experience supporting biologics and oligonucleotide workflows.

• Knowledge of modern materials characterization techniques.

Success Profile

The ideal candidate will be:

• A recognized inventor and materials scientist.

• Equally comfortable at the bench and leading scientific strategy.

• Passionate about solving customer problems through materials innovation.

• Able to identify breakthrough opportunities and translate them into practical technologies.

• Focused on creating the next generation of separation materials that expand Waters scientific leadership.