Ready to shape the future with your passion for science, digitalization, and innovation?
ADHESIVE TECHNOLOGIES #INNOVATION IMPACT PROGRAM
For those who enable future-focused trends.
At Henkel Adhesive Technologies, the global leader in adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings, we develop solutions that transform industries worldwide. We invite you to join us at our state-of-the-art Inspiration Center in Düsseldorf, Germany, for an 18-month rotational program to kickstart your R&D career.
We are seeking passionate chemists, engineers, and data scientists eager to engage in hands-on laboratory work and support driving the digital transformation of our R&D teams.
As a permanent Henkel employee, you will gain valuable experience through customer-focused projects in different departments and benefit from training and mentorship. This will prepare you for diverse post-program roles across our global R&D organization, with exciting opportunities worldwide, from Ireland and the USA to India and China.
Join us and leave your mark on the world of innovation!
READY TO SHAPE YOUR FUTURE? APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN.
Application Period:
Open Now – May 31st, 2025
Program Start Date:
October 1st, 2025
Location:
Düsseldorf, Germany (Headquarters)
Building Your Future in R&D - How the Innovation Impact Program Works
The Adhesive Technologies Innovation Impact program is an 18-month rotational experience at our state-of-the-art Inspiration Center in Düsseldorf. You will start your career with the security of a permanent contract and the support of relocation assistance, including a furnished apartment for your first month.
You will embark on a journey through various innovation areas within our diverse businesses and technologies. We offer a supportive environment with mentorship and a buddy system to ensure you thrive.
Besides your lab-based scientific work, business travel is possible based on project needs.
Our commitment to your success extends beyond the program itself: We will help you transition into a post-program scientific innovation role within Henkel, potentially at one of our international sites, aligning with your career goals and our global opportunities.
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Choose Your Career Path in the Program
Are you ready to push the boundaries of what is possible in adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings? Join our team and engage with our innovation colleagues – passionate scientists and experts in their fields – on projects that span various technologies, solve customer problems, and focus on digitalization, sustainability, and emerging innovation trends. Our program offers data-driven product development (PD), data-driven application engineering (AE), and R&D data scientist (DS) paths.
Your primary contribution will be through scientific, data analytical, and practical work directly influencing the future of our business. At the same time, there will be opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and additional projects tailored to individual interests.
Whether your interest lies in PD, AE, or DS, our program will equip you with the skills, know-how, and experience necessary to thrive in your chosen scientific field.
Data-Driven Product Development
Data-Driven Application Engineering
R&D Data Scientist Chemistry
Join our team as an data-driven Application Engineer and blend your technical expertise with digital analytics, including, e.g., the use of digital twins, to ensure that our range of adhesives, sealants, and functional coating solutions meet the needs of our customers and markets.
As an data-driven Application Engineer, you support new and existing projects, leveraging your extensive technical and scientific knowledge throughout the product lifecycle. From initial prototype development to final production and application at the customer's site, you will ensure our application solutions are optimally developed to exceed customer expectations. You will tackle technical challenges with innovative solutions, applying your expertise and the latest in digital analytics, to introduce and optimize new products and technologies.
Your tasks will include:
- Client and R&D Collaboration: Facilitate communication between clients and R&D departments to ensure technical requirements are clearly understood and met.
- Innovative Experiments with Digital Twins: Conduct small-scale experiments on new formulations. Use digital twins for predictive analysis and to simulate real-world conditions, accelerating the development process from concept to product.
- Analytical Methodologies Development: Create and implement methodologies for analyzing application engineering processes. Incorporate advanced data analytics to gain deep insights into product performance and reliability.
- Process Optimization with Digital Insights: Leverage digital tools, including ALBERT - our digital data platform - to gather and analyze data. Use these insights for innovative process optimization and scaling production efficiently while maintaining high-quality standards.
This is a unique opportunity for data scientists who want to go beyond traditional data analysis and drive real-world product innovation through digital transformation in R&D. As an R&D Data Scientist, you will be the catalyst for innovation, using your expertise to unlock the hidden potential within our formulation datasets. Collaborating closely with product developers and application engineers, you will identify trends, build predictive models, and guide data-driven decision-making.
Your tasks will include:
- Data Analysis and Modeling: Dive into formulation datasets, finding patterns and trends to fuel our next generation of adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings. Develop and deploy machine learning models to predict product performance, stability, and quality.
- Collaboration and Innovation: Partner with R&D colleagues to transform data insights into tangible product improvements and optimized application processes.
- Data Visualization and Communication: Create informative dashboards that effectively communicate your findings to stakeholders, fostering a data-driven culture within R&D.
- Digital Transformation: Support the use of digital tools and data-driven approaches, driving the digital transformation of R&D processes.
Data-Driven Product Development
Join our innovative product development team, where your deep-seated passion for science and innovation directly contributes to designing prototypes and launching them successfully in the market.
As a data-driven Product Developer focused on adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings, you will dive into hands-on laboratory work, crafting solutions that meet the diverse needs of our markets and customers. With ALBERT, our digital data platform and our other digital tools, you will support the product development process, enhancing efficiency and reducing time to market.
Your tasks will include:
- Experimentation and Analysis: Undertake detailed lab experiments on new formulations, leveraging your knowledge for scientific investigation and digital data analysis to drive innovations forward.
- Utilizing Digital Tools: Utilize our digital platform, ALBERT, for comprehensive data management and analytical tasks. Your role will require fluency in navigating large datasets to extract meaningful insights that support our product development projects.
- Innovative Solution Development: Craft and refine data-driven strategies to meet evolving market demands, combining your expertise in science with advanced analytical capabilities to steer our products toward success.
- Optimizing Production: Apply a data-focused lens to scale up our manufacturing processes, ensuring that our laboratory innovations are seamlessly translated into viable, market-ready products.
Data-Driven Application Engineering
Join our team as an data-driven Application Engineer and blend your technical expertise with digital analytics, including, e.g., the use of digital twins, to ensure that our range of adhesives, sealants, and functional coating solutions meet the needs of our customers and markets.
As an data-driven Application Engineer, you support new and existing projects, leveraging your extensive technical and scientific knowledge throughout the product lifecycle. From initial prototype development to final production and application at the customer's site, you will ensure our application solutions are optimally developed to exceed customer expectations. You will tackle technical challenges with innovative solutions, applying your expertise and the latest in digital analytics, to introduce and optimize new products and technologies.
Your tasks will include:
- Client and R&D Collaboration: Facilitate communication between clients and R&D departments to ensure technical requirements are clearly understood and met.
- Innovative Experiments with Digital Twins: Conduct small-scale experiments on new formulations. Use digital twins for predictive analysis and to simulate real-world conditions, accelerating the development process from concept to product.
- Analytical Methodologies Development: Create and implement methodologies for analyzing application engineering processes. Incorporate advanced data analytics to gain deep insights into product performance and reliability.
- Process Optimization with Digital Insights: Leverage digital tools, including ALBERT - our digital data platform - to gather and analyze data. Use these insights for innovative process optimization and scaling production efficiently while maintaining high-quality standards.
R&D Data Scientist Chemistry
This is a unique opportunity for data scientists who want to go beyond traditional data analysis and drive real-world product innovation through digital transformation in R&D. As an R&D Data Scientist, you will be the catalyst for innovation, using your expertise to unlock the hidden potential within our formulation datasets. Collaborating closely with product developers and application engineers, you will identify trends, build predictive models, and guide data-driven decision-making.
Your tasks will include:
- Data Analysis and Modeling: Dive into formulation datasets, finding patterns and trends to fuel our next generation of adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings. Develop and deploy machine learning models to predict product performance, stability, and quality.
- Collaboration and Innovation: Partner with R&D colleagues to transform data insights into tangible product improvements and optimized application processes.
- Data Visualization and Communication: Create informative dashboards that effectively communicate your findings to stakeholders, fostering a data-driven culture within R&D.
- Digital Transformation: Support the use of digital tools and data-driven approaches, driving the digital transformation of R&D processes.
What You Can Expect from Our Program
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What Will My Workplace Look Like?
Step into the Henkel Adhesive Technologies Inspiration Center at our headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany — your destination for innovation and creativity. This modern facility boasts 30 modular labs and four tech centers, providing a collaborative space for over 650 experts. It is not just a workplace but a hub where we actively engage with our customers to contribute to their business success: through hands-on demonstrations, we showcase our expertise and work together to develop solutions for their challenges.
At Henkel and within Adhesive Technologies, we value a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints, believing they strengthen our team and drive innovation. Join us in creating a workplace that fosters innovation on a global scale. As a trainee, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from across the globe, collectively pushing boundaries and driving digitalization and innovation for the future.
Experience the vibrant energy and international flair of Düsseldorf, a thriving city with a rich cultural landscape, diverse culinary scene, and exciting nightlife. The city's excellent infrastructure, seamless international connections, and proximity to other European destinations make Düsseldorf an attractive and convenient base for exploring the region and building your career.
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Whom Are We Looking For - Join Our Diverse and Dynamic Team
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Who Is Eligible to Apply
Join our team of innovators and support the digital transformation of R&D! Our trainee program is designed for highly motivated individuals with advanced degrees (Master's or Ph.D.) in a relevant field. While we value the dedication and effort required to earn a Bachelor's degree, our program is exclusively tailored for candidates with an advanced Master’s degree.
We are passionate about exploring the latest trends at the intersection of scientific research and digital technologies, with a specific focus on areas such as data analytics, modeling, and simulation for data-driven formulation and advanced process optimization. We are also excited about the potential of artificial intelligence to accelerate discovery, connect labs globally, and leverage robotics for enhanced efficiency and accuracy in research.
We believe that the future of innovation lies in embracing these digital-first approaches and foresee that our innovation methods will change dramatically over time. If you share our enthusiasm for data-driven R&D and are ready to shape the future of innovation, we invite you to apply!
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What Your Fellow Trainees and Future Colleagues Say
Q&A
When will the application period begin?
The application period for our trainee program will begin on April 22nd, 2025. Mark your calendars and get ready to apply!
What can I expect from the online assessment center for the trainee program?
An online assessment center is a virtual setup that we will use to evaluate your skills, abilities, and competencies as a final candidate for our trainee program. We're excited to get to know you better and see what you can bring to the table!
During the full-day assessment, we will engage you in various activities, such as roleplays, individual and group tasks. These activities simulate real-world work scenarios and help us evaluate your teamwork, problem-solving, communication, and other critical skills required for the trainee program.
We understand that online assessment centers may be new to some of our trainee candidates. Still, we assure you that this approach is designed to provide us with a comprehensive and objective evaluation of your skills and abilities. It also allows you to participate from anywhere, making it more convenient for you.
We want you to feel encouraged and ready to participate in the online assessment center. We are excited to see your potential and welcome you to the trainee program. So, bring your best skills and abilities, and let's see what you can do!
Does Henkel provide relocation support for trainees joining the program?
We understand that relocation can be challenging, which is why we provide support to help make the transition as smooth as possible. As a trainee joining our program, we will cover the cost of your one-way trip to Düsseldorf and provide a furnished flat for your first month. During this time, You will have the opportunity to get to know your new colleagues and explore the city.
Does Henkel provide assistance with visa and work permit requirements for international trainees?
Absolutely! We understand that visa and work permit applications can be complex and time-consuming, so we work with a reputable agency to support trainees joining our program. This means we will be with you every step of the way, providing guidance and assistance to ensure the process is as smooth as possible.
What kind of compensation and benefits can I expect as a trainee in this program?
As a trainee in this program, you can expect to receive a permanent contract, along with competitive compensation and benefits that align with market standards. In addition, you will have access to all the benefits available to our colleagues at the Henkel headquarters. We are committed to ensuring our trainees are well-supported to succeed in their roles. More details on compensation and benefits will be provided during the recruitment process.
What is the process for onboarding trainees who join the program?
At Henkel, we believe that a successful onboarding process is key to helping our trainees thrive. On your first day in the #Innovation Impact Program, you will have the opportunity to meet your fellow participants and your people manager, who will support you throughout the program. We will provide technical onboarding and introduce you to the world of Henkel so that you can understand the company culture and values. During your first week, you will begin your first station and receive regular support through check-ins and group meetings. We aim to ensure that you have everything you need to succeed right from the start.
Will I be assigned a specific project as a trainee?
As a trainee in the Innovation Impact Program at Henkel, you will gain hands-on experience working on various real-world projects within R&D. These projects will offer diverse learning opportunities, from contributing to essential ongoing work to exploring new approaches and technologies alongside experienced colleagues. The specific focus of your projects will be determined based on current business needs while also taking your development goals into consideration whenever possible. This experience will equip you with a versatile skillset and expose you to different facets of our operations, ultimately supporting your personal and professional growth within the company.
What types of training opportunities are available at Henkel, particularly for trainees?
As part of your rotation plan, we have dedicated learning time where you can choose from our vast selection of e-courses tailored to your specific interests. Our courses cover a variety of topics, including Henkel-specific subjects, people and business skills, leadership, IT, and tools for all business units and functions. Additionally, we provide ongoing training opportunities to support your career development beyond your initial deployment.
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