Senior R&D Chemist

Skills: Personal Care, Cosmetics, Consumer Goods, Specialty Chemicals, Formulation, Scale-up, Emulsions, Emulsion chemistry, Tech transfer, Compounding, Pigment dispersion, Mineral actives

About the Personal Care Product Manufacturing Company /

The Opportunity:

Join an industry-leading company at the forefront of personal care product manufacturing. Our client partners with global brands to develop and bring to market innovative cosmetics, skincare, and OTC products tailored to a dynamic and competitive sector. This Senior R&D Chemist role presents an exciting opportunity to drive formulation excellence, deliver creative product solutions from concept to commercialization, and influence key decisions that shape the next generation in personal care.

Responsibilities:

• Initiate project concepts, develop objectives, plan and assign priorities, and manage multiple projects with minimal supervision.
• Independently investigate and resolve research challenges and scale-up issues as they arise.
• Collaborate with customers on technical, regulatory, and performance aspects of product development.
• Apply legal requirements, regulatory guidelines, and product development standards to all projects.
• Identify and implement raw material cost reductions where feasible.
• Scale-up approved formulations and identify critical process variables for manufacturing.
• Troubleshoot production issues, address batch variations, and set product specifications.
• Supervise pilot batches, compounding, and oversee laboratory staff in executing R&D initiatives.
• Maintain thorough documentation (including ingredient lists and laboratory notebooks) and communicate findings to internal teams and management.

Must-Have

Skills:

• Advanced formulation skills and technical expertise in personal care, cosmetics, or OTC product development.
• Thorough understanding of FDA regulations and cGMP standards.
• Working knowledge of laboratory equipment, techniques, and chemical safety procedures.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong initiative, innovation, critical thinking, and problem-solving ability.
• Experience managing multiple priorities and collaborating across functions at all organizational levels.
• Ability to provide effective technical direction to lab staff and communicate professionally with clients and vendors.
• BS in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Physical Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related science and 8+ years of relevant formulating experience OR advanced degree and 6+ years’ experience.

Nice-to-Have

Skills:

• Master’s Degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Chemical Engineering, or related disciplines.
• 10+ years of experience in formulation of personal care products.
• Proficiency in specialized areas such as pigment dispersion, mineral actives, emulsions, scale-up, and technology transfer.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing procedures and market trends in cosmetic and personal care formulation.
• Strong organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.