Sr Staff Engineer

Nalco Water, an Ecolab Company currently is seeking a Senior Staff Engineer to join the Power RD&E team in Naperville, Illinois. As a Lead Chemist, you will be responsible for developing innovations and leading broader platforms in water treatment and power generation. You will also collaborate with other scientists and engineers to develop innovative solutions for our clients' challenges in the Power Industry.

As the world shifts towards renewable energy sources and electric vehicles, the demand for green chemistries and renewable sources have accelerated. As an innovation partner Nalco Water technologies empower our customers to meet this growing demand in sustainable ways –through more efficient operations and through technologies that reduce the demand for scarce water resources.

This is your opportunity to join a large growing company focused on developing solutions that advance food safety, maintain clean and safe environments, optimize water and energy use.

• Provide technical leadership to Research & Development team and serve as the primary point of contact for marketing, sales and customers in the field of abrasive and polishing.
• Responsible for the hands‑on development of innovative products for existing and new markets in polishing slurry design and synthesis. Ensure alignment between RD&E, business growth strategies, and objectives linked to overall corporate strategy.
• Plan, design, execute, analyze and communicate experiments aimed at developing innovative and competitive solutions for Nalco’s customers.
• Drive open innovation, project management excellence, stage‑gate, implemented portfolio management framework, R&D roadmap and investment strategy.
• Establish competitive position and market advantage through the development of novel precursors and formulation synthesis and technologies to drive high rates of growth.
• Build relationships and collaborations with key leaders in the field, scientific experts and centers of academic excellence, as appropriate to further the program.
• Manage current project portfolio, post product launch projects and is responsible for new product development. Lead projects from initial prospecting phase through final validation in stage and gate process.
• Project management responsibilities include time management, leading scientific/technical reviews, and collaboration with customers.
• The individual will work closely with engineers in the pilot plant, manufacturing, engineering and supply chain to ensure safe and effective scale‑up of new technologies.
• Ensure alignment between RD&E, business growth strategies, and objectives linked to overall corporate strategy.

• BS in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or Material Science and 10 years or MS in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or Material Science and 7 years or PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or Material Science and 5 years related experience.
• Basic knowledge in common analytical techniques for the characterization and evaluation of abrasive materials, colloidal dispersions and complex chemical solutions.
• Basic knowledge of surface quality characterization technologies.
• Ability to communicate detailed and precise technical requirements, procedures, and results in written and oral format.
• Experimental based determination of composition/performance correlation of polishing systems.
• High degree of written and oral communication skills, as well as the ability to drive projects forward.
• Excellent interpersonal skills collaborating with co‑workers and clients.
• Comfortable with public speaking and leading meetings with internal and external customers.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize responsibly, supervise and motivate subordinates and to work well with them and others.
• Passionate about driving step‑out new product technology development through technical rigor, open innovation, and project management excellence.
• Leverage expertise in design of experiments, statistical analysis, and process optimization to ensure operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Immigration Sponsorship not available for this role.

• Detailed knowledge in CMP consumables,…