Home care GDC R&D associate

Job Title: Global Fabric Cleaning Powders GDC R&D Associate
Business Group: Home Care (R&D)
Location: Mumbai

BUSINESS CONTEXT
Fabric Cleaning Powders is the largest format by volume and turnover in the Home Care portfolio globally. As per the new Share that Matters strategy in Home Care, the focus in Powders is to grow share in selective Power Growth Cells in our key markets. This is achieved through Unmissable Brand Superiority by delivering Product Superiority against local and global competitors.

Further, the business needs Fuel For Growth from scale formats like Powders. This is needed to drive disproportionate growth in new formats of the future. Globally, Powders have been consistently delivering Product Logic savings. This is based on a comprehensive material efficiency program called Eco-design: a key technology enabler to achieve savings, reduce GHG footprint and enable benefits that drive superiority. Powders will need to continue to deliver savings over the next 3-5 years without compromising product superiority in Power Growth Cells and deriving maximum value in other cells without diluting competitiveness. This will be a tightrope walk and needs a high level of creativity and execution rigour. This also requires close collaboration with internal R&D teams, eg. Science & Technology (S&T), Procurement, Business Units (BU’s), Safety and Environmental Assurance and with External suppliers.

JOB PURPOSE
As the Global Fabric Cleaning Powders R&D Associate, you will report to the Sr. Product Development Manager, Fabric Cleaning Powders and work towards gaining knowledge of technology toolbox, formulation design and validation of technical performance of prototypes for cost optimization and innovation activities including eventual consumer validation in quantitative tests and stability of the prototypes in terms of visible, physical, chemical and olfactive properties. Your role will be to screen, validate and scale up of prototypes covering organic, inorganic and fine chemicals. You will have to work closely with processing team, project leaders in Business Units (BU’s) to ensure physical and chemical properties of prototypes are consistent for meeting laboratory and consumer validation of product chassis changes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
The key responsibilities of the role are detailed below:
a. Identify and validate prototypes performance, cost and GHG footprint.
b. Ensure prototype execution is consistent in terms of chemical and physical properties and stable during accelerated storage stability.
c. Closely work with broader teams across different BUs & all R&D functions (Appraisal, Claims, Process, Safety).
d. Accelerate development and implementation of formulation changes for savings by using digital tools eg. modelling of performance.
Skills Needed for the Role:
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering / master’s in chemistry from a reputed institute. Preferably with 2 years of experience.
• Core Skills: Curiosity and willingness to learn and apply new Science & Technology areas. Resilient to challenges and consistent focus on the goal. Knowledge of surfactant science is preferable.
• Data & Digital Fluency: Ability to interpret complex datasets, data visualization (JMP/BI/Excel) and data-driven decision-making.
• Communication: Engage with a range of stakeholders with flexibility in influencing styles.

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