Innovation Microbiology Program Lead

Diversey•Fort Mill, SC

12d•Onsite

About The Position

Solenis is a leading global provider of water and hygiene solutions. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives, cleaners, disinfectants, and state-of-the-art monitoring, control and delivery systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact, and create cleaner and safer environments. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 78 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over ~23000 professionals in >160 countries across six continents. Solenis is a 2025 Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree. For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com or follow us on social media. You will be responsible for leading the Pathogens of Concern Program within the Institutional Solutions Innovation Microbiology team and the successful design, advancement and delivery of pathogen focused strategies to support Diversey’s cleaning and hygiene solutions - from program definition and research through to actionable insights. You will provide program level leadership for microbiology initiatives from ideation through delivery, enabling direction for purposeful innovation of future sustainable cleaning and hygiene solutions that address customer needs.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Microbiology, or related field; PhD preferred
3+ years’ experience leading scientific projects or research
Proven experience and expertise in evaluating the efficacy of microbial control agents through study design, execution, and interpretation of data across a variety of test methods.
Demonstrated ability to lead and solve complex scientific challenges through the application of experimental design principles, research statistics, and creative problem-solving.
Strong leadership skills to engage people, effectively prioritize work, and drive on-time project delivery to plan.
Collaborative team player with the ability to establish and maintain solid relationships with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Lead the Pathogens of Concern program within Innovation Microbiology, overseeing study design, execution, and interpretation of results with appropriate attention to detail and quality levels.
Manage program-level initiatives to ensure successful delivery through integrated planning, resource prioritization and alignment, testing coordination, lab capabilities, equipment requirements and budget oversight.
Drive effective engagement with key stakeholders by organizing meetings to communicate program progress, updates, and key learnings.
Provide direction and translate microbiology insights into actionable guidance for scientists to explore and develop more targeted solutions.
Demonstrate deep understanding of hygiene products, performance and efficacy testing, and applicable regulatory standards.
Coach and support team members via regular 1:1’s and team meetings.
Provide input into defining long-term strategy and future deliverables for Microbiology innovation areas.
Monitor industry and market trends to identify emerging pathogen-related opportunities and risks.