Senior Application Scientist

The Senior Applications Scientist develops skin and hair care formulations that showcase TRI-K’s Specialty Division portfolio. This role supports customers, Sales, R&D, and Technical Marketing through ingredient prototype development, formulation expertise, performance evaluation, and launch support.

• Develop market-relevant skin and hair care prototypes featuring TRI-K actives, specialty ingredients, and formulated solutions.
• Support new ingredient development, Stage Gate activities, product launches, and innovation pipeline priorities.
• Provide formulation guidance, troubleshooting, and technical support to customers, Sales, R&D, and internal teams.
• Create formulation kits, concepts, customer-facing technical content, and launch-support materials.
• Define the technical path forward for projects and new product development, including formulation strategy, feasibility considerations, key next steps, and cross-functional alignment.
• Partner with Technical Marketing on claims support, presentations, competitive insights, and customer engagement tools.
• Evaluate formulation feasibility, cost position, market fit, differentiation, and patent landscape considerations.
• Research market trends, emerging technologies, and competitive activity to recommend new formulation opportunities and technical directions.
• Maintain accurate technical records and follow safe, compliant laboratory practices.

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biology, Cosmetic Science, or related technical field required; advanced degree preferred. Minimum 3 years of personal care formulation or R&D experience required, including skin and/or hair care applications, prototype development, evaluation, troubleshooting, and customer-facing technical support. Experience with new ingredient development or Stage Gate preferred. Strong creativity, problem-solving, commercial awareness, communication, organization, and collaboration skills required.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Office and Laboratory environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

This position requires working at the Denville R&D center 4 days a week, unless travelling to visit customers, attend trade shows, etc.