R&D Manager - Hair Care & Cosmetics

Location: Ellabell

Job Description

Summary:

The R&D Manager is responsible for leading the development, optimization, and commercialization of innovative hair care and cosmetic products from concept through launch. This role manages formulation development, product performance evaluation, regulatory compliance, and cross-functional project execution while ensuring alignment with business objectives, consumer needs, and market trends.

The ideal candidate possesses strong technical expertise in cosmetic science, hair care formulations, and product development, coupled with leadership experience and a proven track record of successfully bringing products to market.

Job Description:

Key Responsibilities Product Development & Innovation
· Lead the formulation and development of new hair care and cosmetic products, including shampoos, conditioners, treatments, styling products, scalp care, and other personal care products.
· Drive innovation initiatives by identifying emerging technologies, ingredients, consumer trends, and market opportunities.
· Develop product concepts that meet performance, stability, safety, and cost objectives.
· Optimize existing formulations to improve product quality, performance, and manufacturability.

Technical Leadership
· Manage multiple R&D projects from concept through commercialization.
· Provide technical guidance and mentorship to scientists, chemists, and formulation specialists.
· Establish development timelines, project priorities, and resource plans.
· Collaborate with global and regional stakeholders to align innovation strategies.

Formulation & Product Testing
· Design and execute formulation experiments and performance evaluations.
· Oversee product stability, compatibility, efficacy, and safety testing.
· Analyze technical data and recommend formulation improvements.
· Support scale-up and technology transfer activities for commercial manufacturing.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
· Partner with Marketing, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Manufacturing, Packaging, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams.
· Support claims substantiation and product positioning activities.
· Provide technical expertise during customer meetings, product reviews, and commercialization activities.

Regulatory & Compliance
· Ensure product formulations comply with applicable cosmetic regulations and industry standards.
· Support preparation of technical documentation and product registration requirements.
· Maintain compliance with GMP, safety, and environmental guidelines.

Continuous Improvement
· Monitor industry trends, competitor products, and emerging ingredients.
· Identify opportunities to improve formulation efficiency, development speed, and product performance.
· Support intellectual property evaluations, patents, and innovation projects where applicable.

Required Qualifications Education
· Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
· Master's degree preferred.

Experience
· Minimum 7 years of experience in cosmetic or personal care product development.
· Minimum 2 years of people management or project leadership experience.
· Proven experience in formulation development and commercialization of hair care and/or cosmetic products.
· Experience working in a manufacturing or commercial product development environment.

Technical Knowledge
· Cosmetic Formulation Science
· Hair Care Product Development
· Emulsions, Surfactants, Polymers, and Conditioning Technologies
· Product Stability and Compatibility Testing
· GMP and Cosmetic Regulatory Requirements
· Experimental Design and Data Analysis
· Project Management
· Product Commercialization and Scale-Up Preferred Qualifications
· Strong experience in hair care product development including shampoos, conditioners, hair masks, styling products, scalp care products, and treatments.
· Experience in multinational cosmetic or personal care companies.
· Knowledge of cosmetic regulations in North America, Europe, and Asia.
· Experience working with contract manufacturers and ingredient suppliers.
· Familiarity with sustainability initiatives, clean beauty concepts, and natural ingredient technologies.
·…