Lead Chemical Engineer

Ecolab Inc. • Naperville, IL

1d • $107,600 - $161,500 • Hybrid

About The Position

Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company is seeking a Lead Chemical Engineer to develop and advance differentiated innovations in chemistry, equipment & digital, ultimately driving the global deployment of integrated offerings for advanced water treatment, process optimization, and automation. The successful candidate will effectively operate at the intersection of water treatment chemistry, process engineering, digital systems, data-driven optimization, and customer-facing application development and scale-up. The selected candidate will lead global innovation projects and technology development across the Global Light Water Division, supporting our Manufacturing, Institutional Water, and Textile Care businesses and customers. This includes exciting applications within the automotive, green energy (for instance, solar & battery), pharma, packaging, and building materials industries, in addition to impacting key customer needs in water safety and water use/reuse. Cross-functional team collaboration and global communication will be essential for this role. This person will specialize in automation development but will be required to navigate a wide range of technical topics. They will be expected to work closely with marketing and technical support teams to ideate, develop and deliver a portfolio of programs for cooling water, boiler water, pre- and post-treatment as well as process water.

Requirements

• Degree in chemical engineering (advanced degree preferred).
• Ph.D. and 2+ years of related industrial experience, M.S. and 4+ years related industrial experience, or B.S. and 6+ years related industrial experience.
• Proven track record of new product launches, creative thinking, and consistent delivery of strategic goals.
• Experience enabling digital and automation program development.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize responsibly, and motivate peers and team members.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and collaborating skills.
• Comfortable with public speaking and leading meetings with internal and external customers.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 25%.

Nice To Haves

• Automation and water treatment experience
• Hands-on experience with Process automation (PLC, SCADA, distributed control systems)
• Hands-on experience with Sensor integration and real-time monitoring systems
• Hands-on experience with Data analytics and performance optimization tools
• Demonstrated ability to translate process data into control strategies
• Demonstrated ability to deploy chemical, equipment & digital solutions in industrial environments

Responsibilities

• Partner with global Marketing, RD&E (Research, Development & Engineering), ITC (Industry Technical Consultants), and business teams to gather customer insights (Voice of Customer).
• Develop and execute a product pipeline for Global Light Water, focusing on automation and digital solutions.
• Drive the execution of the current project portfolio and enforce project management discipline to make sure projects are delivered on time and with quality.
• Collaborate with the collective Global Water RD&E teams, leveraging Naperville and Eagan based Core Chemical Technologies, Water Anchor, as well as Global Analytical and Microbiology capabilities, to accelerate portfolio development.

Benefits

• The opportunity to take on some of the world’s most meaningful challenges, helping customers achieve clean water, safe food, abundant energy and healthy environments
• The ability to make an impact and shape your career with a company that is passionate about growth
• The support of an organization that believes it is vital to include and engage diverse people, perspectives and ideas to achieve our best
• Annual bonus pay based on performance, per plan terms.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree