Product Development Scientist

About the Role

The Product Development Scientist will play a pivotal role in supporting the creation of top‑tier formulations to drive the growth ambitions of the Health & Wellbeing Collective, with a particular focus on new product development, entering new markets, and building a network of external technical partners and capabilities. The role will have cross‑functional interactions and coordination across Marketing, Supply Chain, SEAC, Quality, Regulatory and external contract labs & raw material suppliers to ensure timely delivery of the objectives.

The role will be required to provide technical support related to new product development and would cover a broad range of challenges – from designing consumer‑preferred robust formulas, to developing raw material and finished product specifications, scaling up by leveraging external contract labs and collaborative manufacturers.

• Lead/support formulation design work for innovations to deliver superior, design‑to‑value and consumer‑winning products.
• Work seamlessly with other R&D functions (packaging, Consumer Technical Insights, processing, regulatory teams) to ensure delivery on assigned projects.
• Ensure statutory regulatory & legal compliances for products & process.
• Identify and establish appropriate ingredient and process technology for manufacturing products to specification at lab‑scale and pilot‑scale.
• Scale up to factory with relevant transfer of technology documentation and training factory team.
• Develop specifications, formulation, process, labelling and artwork, and Quality Assurance regimes to support/enforce these specs meet technical action standards.
• Support shelf‑life studies to establish shelf‑life of new products and/or intervene through formulation/recipes to enhance shelf‑life.
• Use appropriate analytical techniques to characterize key attributes of the product.
• Engage with marketing team constantly for insights and translate them into product properties & performance.
• Assess and minimize environmental, safety, regulatory, PR and competitive challenges.

• Bachelor’s degree required in Food Science, Food Technology, Pharmacy, Chemistry, Nutrition Science and Biology.
• Master’s degree in the relevant fields would be preferred.
• 5 years’ experience in formulation development or technology development (Dietary supplement, beverage/food product development with sweet flavour experience preferred).
• Good understanding of product development principles – formulation development for consumer‑friendly ingestible dosage forms such as functional powders, mouth‑dissolving films, effervescent tablets, etc., material understanding, product scale‑up, ingredient sources and GMP.
• Demonstrated aptitude for teamwork and collaborative problem‑solving, and ability to plan and execute work independently with minimal supervision.
• Outstanding stakeholder management skills, enabling effective support for projects involving multiple external parties such as contractors, research partners and raw material suppliers, while balancing the interests of diverse teams and partners.
• Strong analytical thinking, allowing for effective troubleshooting and data‑driven decision‑making.
• Strong digital literacy, proficient in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Familiarity with Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system is a plus.

• Outstanding verbal and written communication abilities, fostering effective interactions with internal and external parties.
• Exceptional organizational and prioritization skills, enabling efficient handling of multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Proven agility and adaptability in responding to changing project requirements or unexpected challenges.
• Creativity and an innovative mindset for developing novel product concepts and improvements.
• Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accuracy in formulation, documentation and compliance with standards.
• Resilience and perseverance when navigating project setbacks or extended development timelines.
• Proactive approach to continuous learning and professional development, staying abreast of industry trends and regulatory changes.
• Keen commercial awareness, understanding market trends and consumer needs to align product development with business objectives.

Pay range: $71,400 to $107,200.

Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan, which may include health insurance, retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, and voluntary benefits.

Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Protected Veterans / Persons with Disabilities. Employment is subject to verification of pre‑screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.