Rachel Josef ’19

Overview

R&D Associate, Germ Protection Analytical, Reckitt
Montvale, NJ

• BA, Chemistry, Vassar College 
• BE, Materials Science and Engineering, Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College

Rachel Josef (she/her) is currently an R&D Associate in the analytical chemistry department at Reckitt. She started as an assistant on the Household team at Reckitt, working on new product development and existing product maintenance for brands including Woolite laundry detergent and Resolve pet portfolio before moving to the analytical team in 2022. She currently works on analytical method development, validation, and transfer, and supports stability and out-of-specification investigations to support new product launches for the Lysol and Dettol brands. Rachel also works as an SAT, ACT, math, and science tutor on the side. Rachel received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a mathematics correlate from Vassar in 2019, and a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering in 2020 as part of the dual-degree engineering program with the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College.

Advice to Students: 

Use your college years to explore subjects you might be interested in—don’t lock yourself into only taking classes directly related to your major. Take advantage of any in-person networking opportunities that come up. Keep your general writing skills sharp, even if you are planning to go into science. Learning how to write a concise and effective email will go a long way.