Associate Director, R&D

Clorox is the place that’s committed to growth – for our people and our brands. Guided by our purpose and values, and with people at the center of everything we do, we believe every one of us can make a positive impact on consumers, communities, and teammates. Join our team. #CloroxIsThePlace

Your role at Clorox:

Make a difference! Save lives by helping to prevent the spread of infection with Clorox Professional. At Clorox, we champion people to be well and thrive every single day. And within Clorox Professional, we champion a cleaner world where everyone thrives, from public spaces to healthcare facilities.

The Associate Director, R&D Innovation for Clorox Professional is an innovation leader responsible for building and delivering a robust, multiyear innovation pipeline across the B2B portfolio. You will have the opportunity to shape the future of cleaning and disinfecting products, contributing to a safer, healthier world. This role sits at the intersection of consumer and customer obsession, technical excellence, and business impact, translating unmet needs into differentiated product, process, and business model innovations that drive growth.

This leader plays a critical role in shaping and advancing cross-functional Business Innovation Solutions (BIS) initiatives, bringing R&D expertise and partnering across Sales, Marketing, Insights, Supply Chain, and external partners to identify, develop, and scale innovation opportunities. The role ensures strong integration of end user, customer, and marketplace insights into innovation strategy, while advancing technical capabilities and fostering a high-performing, inclusive R&D organization.

In this role, you will:

Own and lead the Clorox Professional innovation pipeline, building a 2–5 year pipeline of customer- and end user-centric ideas with the right sufficiency, mix, and cadence to deliver growth objectives.  Lead the technology choice and development for the future needs of the professional cleaning and healthcare businesses.

• Lead cross-functional Business Innovation Solutions (BIS) initiatives, partnering with Sales, Marketing, Insights, and Supply Chain to identify and develop new business opportunities and innovation platforms. 

• Generate differentiated Innovation platforms, which translate end user, customer, and market insights into solutions spanning core, adjacencies, and breakthrough opportunities.

• Champion modernized discovery and innovation practices, including agile methodologies, design thinking, and digital/AI-enabled tools to accelerate learning and decision making.

• Guide end-to-end innovation execution from ideation through development, scale-up, and commercialization across product, process, and business solutions.

• Ensure strong technical rigor and quality excellence, including product performance, claims development, and validation against customer and regulatory requirements.

• Drive success with external partners, suppliers, and technology collaborators to expand capabilities and accelerate innovation outcomes.

• Partner closely with Sales leadership to align innovation with customer needs, channel dynamics, and commercial opportunities.

• Lead and develop a high-performing R&D team of 5-7 including R&D technician, scientist and SMEs, building capabilities, strengthening succession, and fostering an inclusive and engaging culture.

• Foster an inclusive, high‑engagement culture with effective resource allocation and prioritization to balance innovation, core business support, and capability development.

• Connect Innovation agenda to broader BU strategy by integrating insights, innovation priorities, and business performance objectives into a multi-annual plan.

This is a hybrid role requiring being onsite in the Pleasanton office 3+ days a week.

What we look for:

• 12+ years of R&D experience in consumer products, with demonstrated impact in innovation and commercialization. Ideal candidate will have experience in Retail and Business to Business models

• 5+ years of people leadership experience, with a track record of developing high‑performing, engaged teams.

• Experience across Product, Process, and/or Packaging, with understanding of scale-up and manufacturing.

• Proven ability to build and manage technical innovation portfolios and influence cross‑functional leaders.

• Strong end user and consumer‑centric mindset and experience translating insights into differentiated solutions.

• Fluency in modernized discovery, digital, and AI‑enabled innovation tools.

• Strategic thinker with the ability to connect near‑term execution to long‑term growth platforms.

• Excellent communication, storytelling, and influencing skills.

• B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. from an accredited institution in Science or Engineering required.

Workplace type:

This position will be located in our Pleasanton, CA office, and the individual will be expected to be in the office min. 3 days a week.

Our values-based culture connects to our purpose and empowers people to be their best, professionally and personally. We serve a diverse consumer base which is why we believe teams that reflect our consumers bring fresh perspectives, drive innovation, and help us stay attuned to the world around us. That’s why we foster an inclusive culture where every person can feel respected, valued, and fully able to participate, and ultimately able to thrive. Learn more.

[U.S.]Additional Information:

At Clorox, we champion people to be well and thrive, starting with our own people. To help make this possible, we offer comprehensive, competitive benefits that prioritize all aspects of wellbeing and provide flexibility for our teammates’ unique needs. This includes robust health plans, a market-leading 401(k) program with a company match, flexible time off benefits (including half-day summer Fridays depending on location), inclusive fertility/adoption benefits, and more.

We are committed to fair and equitable pay and are transparent with current and future teammates about our full salary ranges. We use broad salary ranges that reflect the competitive market for similar jobs, provide sufficient opportunity for growth as you gain experience and expand responsibilities, while also allowing for differentiation based on performance. Based on the breadth of our ranges, most new hires will start at Clorox in the first half of the applicable range. Your starting pay will depend on job-related factors, including relevant skills, knowledge, experience and location. The applicable salary range for every role in the U.S. is based on your work location and is aligned to one of three zones according to the cost of labor in your area.

–Zone A: $153,700 - $309,000

–Zone B: $140,900 - $283,300

–Zone C: $128,100 - $257,500

All ranges are subject to change in the future. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

This job is also eligible for participation in Clorox’s incentive plans, subject to the terms of the applicable plan documents and policies.

Please apply directly to our job postings and do not submit your resume to any person via text message. Clorox does not conduct text-based interviews and encourages you to be cautious of anyone posing as a Clorox recruiter via unsolicited texts during these uncertain times.

To all recruitment agencies: Clorox (and its brand families) does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to Clorox employees, including any members of our leadership team. Clorox is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.