Research Senior Principal Scientist, Chromatography

Waters Corporation is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for a Senior Principal Scientist within the Waters Global Research Organization. If you are a scientist driven to deliver differentiating innovations that advance human health and well-being, you would be interested in this position.

The Global Research Organization is a multi-disciplinary, highly innovative team tasked with initiating and developing novel, ground-breaking analytical instrumentation. As a Principal Scientist you will be a recognized technical authority, shaping the scientific direction of next-generation liquid chromatography (LC) systems, driving the fundamental understanding of separation science, and collaborating across engineering and chemistry to bring transformative solutions to market.

This role sits at the intersection of deep separation-science expertise and hands-on instrument development. In addition to your individual research contributions, you will serve as a Team Lead, directing and coordinating the efforts of a multidisciplinary research team. You will help define and prototype the next generation separation platforms and software solutions, advancing Waters' legacy as a global leader in analytical instruments, separations technologies, and software serving the life, materials, food, and environmental sciences for over 65 years.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & Research Direction: Act as Team Lead for a cross-disciplinary research group within the Global Research Organization. Plan, coordinate, and guide research efforts across chromatography instrument development, separation science, and column chemistry. Mentor team members and maintain a strong culture of scientific rigor and accountability.
• Scientific Strategy & Innovation: Serve as the primary scientific thought leader for chromatography research. Champion novel ideas and advise on ongoing R&D activities across liquid chromatography, column chemistry, and fluidic system architectures. Identify and champion emerging areas of separation science with transformative potential, and prioritize innovation opportunities based on market insights, strategic fit, and potential customer impact.
• Instrument & Prototype Development: Lead the design, construction, and evaluation of advanced separations prototypes. Collaborate closely with engineers to translate scientific concepts into hardware proofs-of-concept. Apply deep knowledge of fluidic dynamics, pressure management, detector integration, and gradient formation to improve system performance.
• Chromatographic Fundamentals Research: Conduct rigorous experimental and theoretical research into the fundamentals of separation science—including stationary-phase selectivity, mobile-phase optimization, band-broadening mechanisms, extra-column effects, and column-packing technologies. Generate actionable insights that drive instrument performance and scientific differentiation.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Customer Needs: Build strong, trusted relationships across teams and functions, including scientific, engineering, software, product, marketing, and commercial stakeholders. Engage collaborators in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare industries to identify unmet customer needs and translate those insights into impactful technologies and solutions.
• Customer & Application Insight: Develop fluency in key application areas, biologics characterization, small-molecule pharmaceuticals, environmental and food safety analysis, to ensure that chromatographic innovations address real-world laboratory challenges. Act as a scientific resource for application scientists and customers on complex separation challenges.
• IP Generation & Scientific Communication: Provide scientific leadership that significantly impacts both internal research programs and the broader scientific community through invention disclosures, patents, and publications in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals. Present Waters technologies at major scientific conferences and seminars worldwide.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Mentor junior scientists and research associates, fostering a culture of scientific curiosity and continuous improvement. Participate in and lead agile, cross-disciplinary project teams, ensuring clear goals, timelines, and scientific accountability across research efforts.

Qualifications

• Pd.D. in Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, or a closely related discipline, with a strong emphasis on separation science or chromatography instrumentation or a bachelors degree with at least 12 years related experience at a recognized academic institution, national laboratory, or analytical instrument company.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a research team: setting direction, managing priorities, mentoring scientists, and delivering results in a complex, multi-project research environment.
• Deep expertise in the fundamentals of liquid chromatography, including retention mechanisms, band-broadening theory (van Deemter / Knox), stationary-phase design, mobile-phase chemistry, and gradient elution.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience developing or evaluating instrumentation, including pumps, injectors, detectors, fluidic flow paths, and system integration.
• Fundamental knowledge of chromatographic instrumentation, including pumping technology, sample handling, column thermal management, and optical detection technology.
• Strong track record of innovation evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, patents, and/or invited conference presentations in separation science or analytical instrumentation.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills applied to complex, multi-variable instrument performance challenges.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills with demonstrated ability to present complex scientific findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred

• Experience with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS, high-resolution MS) coupled to liquid chromatography systems.
• Familiarity with Waters instrument platforms (ACQUITY UPLC, Alliance iS, Arc, or Xevo MS systems) and Waters Empower or MassLynx software.
• Background in column chemistry development, stationary-phase particle synthesis, or surface functionalization.
• Experience in method development for biopharmaceutical applications (proteins, peptides, oligonucleotides, lipid nanoparticles, cell and gene therapy modalities).
• Expertise in micro- or nano-flow LC, two-dimensional LC (2D-LC), or preparative-scale chromatography.
• Knowledge of data systems integration, instrument control software architecture, or automation of LC workflows.
• Familiarity with mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and software development principles as they apply to analytical instrument development.
• Experience with rapid prototyping of analytical instrument hardware, fluidics, electronics, or integrated systems.
• Familiarity with multi-angle light scattering (MALS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and field-flow fractionation (FFF).
• Experience collaborating with academic, industrial, or regulatory partners on analytical technology development.
• Familiarity with agile project management methodologies in a hardware or instrument R&D environment.

We know that sometimes the perfect candidate does not exist, and that people can be put off applying for a job if they do not fit all the requirements. If you are excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we are looking for, please go ahead and apply. You could be just what we need! We believe strongly in the value of diversity and creating supportive, inclusive environments where our colleagues can succeed. As such, Waters is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to maintaining a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Waters Corporation (NYSE:WAT)  is a global leader in life sciences and diagnostics, dedicated to accelerating the benefits of pioneering science through analytical technologies, informatics, and service. With a focus on regulated, high-volume testing environments, our innovative portfolio harnesses deep scientific expertise across chemistry, physics, and biology. We collaborate with customers around the world to advance the release of effective, high-quality medicines, ensure the safety of food and water, and drive better patient outcomes by detecting diseases earlier, managing routine infections, and combating antibiotic resistance. Through a shared culture of relentless innovation, our passionate team of ~16,000 colleagues turn scientific challenges into breakthroughs that improve lives worldwide.  

Diversity and inclusion are fundamental to our core values at Waters Corporation. It benefits our employees, our products, our customers and our community. Waters complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Waters is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All hiring decisions are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.