Henkel · 2 days ago
Lead Product Development Engineer
Irvine, CA
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$105K/yr - $125K/yr
7+ years expHenkel is a global company shaping the future through innovation and sustainability. The Lead Product Development Engineer will own the product development lifecycle, lead experimental design and data analysis, and mentor junior engineers while driving project planning and execution.
BeautyCleaning ProductsConsumerFast-Moving Consumer GoodsPersonal Care and Hygiene
Responsibilities
Own the product development lifecycle from pilot trials validation manufacturing scale‑up launch
Lead DOE/experimental design, data analysis, and optimization to meet performance & Quality
Define and execute verification & validation plans
Lead pilot plant trials; develop process parameters, batch records, and scale‑up guides
Author technical documentation: product specs, SDS inputs, test methods, PPAP (as applicable)
Serve as technical lead for customer trials, sampling plans, and post‑launch support
Partner with Sourcing/Manufacturing on raw material qualification
Drive project planning: scope, schedule, risk, resources, and status reporting to stakeholders
Mentor junior engineers; promote best practices, standard work, and continuous improvement (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma)
Qualification
Required
BS/MS in Chemical, Materials, Mechanical, Polymer, or related engineering field
7–10+ years in product/process development, including scale‑up and validation
Proven leadership of cross‑functional projects and mentoring junior engineers
Hands‑on experience with pilot equipment (e.g., mixers, mills, extruders, reactors) and lab instrumentation
Strong in DOE/statistics, data analysis, and problem solving (Minitab/JMP)
Familiar with quality systems (ISO/IATF/AS/13485 as relevant) and regulatory frameworks
Demonstrated customer‑facing technical support and presentation skills
Must be willing to travel 20-30% domestically and internationally
Benefits
Health Insurance: affordable plans for medical, dental, vision and wellbeing starting on day 1
Work-Life Balance: Paid time off including sick, vacation, holiday and volunteer time, flexible & hybrid work policies (depending on role), and vacation buy / sell program
Financial: 401k matching, employee share plan with voluntary investment and Henkel matching shares, annual performance bonus, service awards and student loan reimbursement
Family Support: 12-week gender neutral parental leave (up to 20 weeks for parents giving birth), fertility support, adoption & surrogacy reimbursement, discounted child and elderly care, and scholarships
Career Growth: diverse national and international growth opportunities, access to thousands of skills development courses, and tuition reimbursement
Company
Henkel
Henkel leads with innovations, brands, and technologies to create sustainable value.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Henkel has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (15)
2024 (16)
2023 (23)
2022 (4)
2021 (10)
2020 (11)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
unknown1985-10-11IPO
Leadership Team
Carsten Knobel
Chief Executive Officer
Chelly Cruz
Digital Marketing Specialist
Recent News
2026-01-20
Company data provided by crunchbase