R&D Innovation Manager – Applied Organic Chemistry

We’re hiring an experienced R&D leader to turn breakthrough chemistry into real products. In this role, you’ll play a central part in building a new technology platform inside a large, stable company, partnering across R&D, Operations, QA, and Sales to move from concept to launch. You’ll drive research, shape strategy, and work directly with international customers to prove value and scale.

You'll join a small agile team and play a pivotal role in building a new growth engine for ICL.

What will your responsibilities be?

- Set the R&D plan. Translate the business unit strategy into a focused research & development roadmap with clear priorities, success criteria, and timelines

- Develop market-driven formulations. Lead formulation work that answers real needs across target segments, balancing performance, cost, and readiness for scale

- Lead microbiology research. Guide an internal microbiology stream and external labs to design relevant models, validate hypotheses, and generate reliable, validated efficacy data

- Run co-development with global customers. Frame use cases, design joint pilots/POCs, and convert results into adoption and repeat business

- Build team capability. Lead cross-functional teams in Chemistry and Microbiology, overseeing method development, work plan execution, and adherence to timelines. Ensure delivery against defined KPIs through strategic planning and operational oversight

- Align the leadership team. Be an active, trusted partner to the core leadership team. Consult, flag risks early, offer options and recommendations, and keep momentum against the plan

- Location: Haifa. Once/twice a week in Rehovot area

- Travel: Occasional to customers/tollers (domestic & international)

What are we looking for?

- Ph.D./MSc in Chemistry

- 6–9 years in applied organic chemistry and product formulations

- +7 years' experience in applied organic chemistry and product formulations, preferably in Detergents / Personal Care / Cosmetics

- Ability to set an R&D plan aligned with the BU strategy and translate it into clear priorities and timelines

- Experience leading a small team, including a Senior Microbiologist, chemistry lab staff and external labs (microbiology & chemistry)

- Experience with tech transfer to toll manufacturers and customer-facing technical engagement

- Comfortable engaging multinational customers for pilots/POCs and turning results into clear recommendations

- SDS/TDS authoring: hands-on experience writing clear, accurate SDS and TDS, and aligning with Regulatory Affairs on claims and labeling

- Regulatory interfaces: Experience working with regulators (EPA/BPR), plus familiarity with REACH and TSCA

- Fluent English

- Proactive, self-driven, high ownership; effective in a fast, applied R&D environment and in multidisciplinary teams