Senior Scientist, Human Milk Research

Senior Scientist, Human Milk Research

City: Evansville

We are Reckitt

Home to the world's best loved and trusted hygiene, health, and nutrition brands. Our purpose defines why we exist: to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We are a global team united by this purpose. Join us in our fight to make access to the highest quality hygiene, wellness, and nourishment a right and not a privilege.

​Research & Development​

In Research and Development, we're full of highly skilled talents that include Scientists, Engineers, Medical, Clinical and Regulatory professionals - all working to create a cleaner, healthier world. With nine Centres of Excellence, we continually seek out new opportunities by using science, our entrepreneurial flare and our fearless innovation to develop and enhance our existing portfolio, never compromising on quality or performance.

We do the right thing, always, by ensuring we act with responsibility and integrity, by complying with regulatory legislation across the globe, whilst ensuring our products are safe for our consumers and are to the highest quality.

The size of our organisation means you'll have the opportunity to learn and work in different functions within R&D, giving you exposure to different disciplines, teams and environments. You will also have access to our Research and Development Academy, designed to develop our team and allow you to grow in our great organisation.

About the role

We are seeking a collaborative, innovative Senior Scientist to join our Human Milk Research team. This position will report to the Head of Human Milk Research within Preclinical Research, which is an integral part of the Global Nutrition R&D organization of Mead Johnson Nutrition. The Human Milk Research platform team leads and manages all aspects of human milk research including strategy development, cross-functional global and regional research initiatives, and key partnerships within the field. This role will drive proactive advances in the scientific understanding of human milk and its meaningful application to further the field of pediatric nutrition. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in human milk biology, pediatric nutrition, cutting-edge research methodologies & models, and digital technologies. As a senior scientist, you will help lead research collaborations, manage our human milk repository and database, and drive initiatives that translate scientific insights into impactful nutritional solutions for infancy and across the lifespan.

Your responsibilities

• Design and execute research projects to enable highest-quality science focused on the composition, functional properties, and clinical use of human milk.
• Apply both traditional and future-looking analytical techniques and preclinical models to study human milk composition, functionality, and impact on health outcomes.
• Translate scientific findings into actionable insights for pediatric nutrition innovation.
• Communicate important human milk science insights in global forums including conferences, symposia, and expert panels.
• Publish in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and represent the organization in impactful scientific communities.
• Establish and manage strong, strategic collaborations with leading academic institutions, research organizations, and technology partners.
• Serve as the scientific liaison for external projects, ensuring generation of highest-quality science, alignment with company objectives, and compliance with ethical standards.
• Work closely with internal Research & Development and business partners as well as external nutritional experts to adapt pioneering human milk science into the next generation of meaningful nutritional products for infants, children, and adults.
• Provide thoughtful scientific guidance to product development teams to ensure innovations are grounded in robust research and meaningful scientific insights.
• Oversee active collection, secure storage, and quality assurance of samples in our global human milk repository.
• Develop and maintain protocols for sample integrity, traceability, and ethical compliance.
• Manage and curate the human milk database, ensuring accurate data entry, secure storage, and accessibility of samples for research and analytics.
• Embrace and implement next-generation digital technologies including AI-driven analytics, -omics platforms, and data analysis and visualization tools to accelerate research outcomes.
• Drive digital transformation within human milk research workflows for enhanced data integration and interpretation.

The experience we're looking for

• Ph.D. in Nutrition, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or related field (preferred), or M.S. with significant research experience.
• Minimum 3 years of research experience in human milk science, lactation biology, or nutrition science, preferably focused on pediatric and maternal nutrition.
• Robust understanding of milk composition, function, and physiology of lactation.
• Proven track record of managing research collaborations and delivering high-impact scientific outcomes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, AI tools, and other relevant technical software is required.
• Strong proficiency in key milk research tools, including analytical techniques (e.g. proteomics, metabolomics, sequencing) and relevant preclinical models (e.g. in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, in silico), with experience in study design & result interpretation.
• Strong understanding of digital tools for data analysis and research management.
• Experience executing and communicating on human milk research projects, with tangible outcomes such as peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and intellectual property.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.
• Strong proficiency in both technical writing and oral presentation of science to a range of audiences.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment, working both independently and collaboratively.
• Alliance mindset to build win-win collaborations within the team, cross-functionally within the organization, and externally with key partners.

The skills for success

Commercial Awareness, Collaborator, Product Lifecycle Management, Regulatory, Ability to challenge the status quo, Propose improvement, Accountability, Adaptability, Business Strategy, Objective Setting, Consumer Needs, Change Leadership, Task Execution Under Pressure, Business Partnership, Collaboration, Partnership building.

What we offer

With inclusion at the heart of everything we do, working alongside our four global Employee Resource Groups, we support our people at every step of their career journey, helping them to succeed in their own individual way. We invest in the wellbeing of our people through parental benefits, an Employee Assistance Program to promote mental health, and life insurance for all employees globally. We have a range of other benefits in line with the local market. Through our global share plans we offer the opportunity to save and share in Reckitt's potential future successes. For eligible roles, we also offer short-term incentives to recognise, appreciate and reward your work for delivering outstanding results. You will be rewarded in line with Reckitt's pay for performance philosophy.

Salary Range

USD $99,000.00 - $149,000.00

Pay Transparency

The base salary range for this role will vary based on experience in job and industry, training and education, skills relevant to the position, and other factors permitted by law. In addition to the base salary, the position is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, which is subject to change each year. Reckitt offers eligible employees competitive benefits including medical, prescription, dental, vision, and life and disability insurance; paid time off for vacation, sick and Company recognized holidays; a 401(k) plan; 16-week paid parental leave or 26 weeks for the birthing parent; adoption and fertility support; tuition reimbursement; discounts; and much more. Our compensation and benefits packages aim to give our talent the reward, protection, and peace of mind they deserve. If reasonable accommodation is needed to complete your application, please contact NAtalentacquisition@reckitt.com. Reckitt is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals.

Equality

We recognise that in real life, great people don't always 'tick all the boxes'. That's why we hire for potential as well as experience. Even if you don't meet every point on the job description, if this role and our company feels like a good fit for you, we still want to hear from you. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, disability or medical condition; colour, ethnicity, race, citizenship, and national origin; religion, faith; pregnancy, family status and caring responsibilities; sexual orientation; sex, gender identity, gender expression, and transgender identity; protected veteran status; size or any other basis protected by appropriate law.

Nearest Major Market: Evansville
Job Segment: Clinical Research, Medical Research, Nutrition, Counseling, Physiology, Healthcare