Aerosol Technologist

Unilever; Wirral; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A major consumer goods company in the UK seeks a Formulation Scientist to develop innovative hair aerosol products. Key responsibilities include formulating and optimizing aerosols, executing product tests, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate holds an MSc/BSc in a scientific discipline and has a consumer-centered mindset. This full-time position offers competitive compensation and benefits in a hybrid working environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Annual bonus

Free gym

Discounted staff shop

Shares

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work within multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability in aerosol formulation and testing.

Responsibilities

• Formulate hair aerosol products for superior performance.
• Conduct product qualification testing.
• Prepare aerosol prototypes while following safety procedures.

Skills

Independent work

Team collaboration

Technical troubleshooting

Consumer-centric mindset

Education

BSc/MSc in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, or Materials Science

Job description

JOB PURPOSE

This role exists to turn insight into innovation and ensure operational excellence that enables our brands to thrive by creating high‑performing, sustainable hair aerosol products.

As part of Unilever’s Global Styling team, you will support the development of innovative aerosol formats – such as dry shampoos, hairsprays, and mousses - across brands including Sunsilk, Tresemme, Dove, Nexxus, and Andrelon. You’ll contribute to end‑to‑end product delivery, working on both formulation and aerosol packaging, to bring to life products that delight consumers with superior performance while meeting our sustainability and cost‑effectiveness ambitions.

You’ll be part of a team that believes in doing work that matters - for people and the planet, because here, we don’t just hire for jobs. We invite you to be part of something bigger.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Formulate and optimise hair aerosol products- including hairsprays, dry shampoos, and mousses - to deliver superior technical performance and consumer‑relevant benefits
• Execute product quality analyses, assessing key performance attributes and ensuring formulations meet safety, regulatory, and brand standards.
• Prepare aerosol prototypes, including gassing with propellants, while strictly following all safety procedures; full training provided.
• Conduct product qualification testing - including stability, compatibility, and corrosion - to secure robustness ahead of scale‑up and market deployment.
• Generate, analyse, and interpret experimental data, extracting insights that inform formulation direction, risk assessments, and decision‑making.
• Independently design, plan, and execute laboratory work, ensuring full compliance with all relevant safety and operating standards.
• Deliver clear technical documentation, including high‑quality written reports and effective verbal communication to project teams and stakeholders.
• Support development of next‑generation aerosol technologies, contributing to both formulation and packaging innovation pipelines and strengthening existing mixes.
• Test and validate product prototypes for innovation projects, generating data and providing recommendations that drive project progression and technical readiness.
• Collaborate across R&D functions, sharing insights and aligning on formulation, packaging, safety, and qualification needs to deliver high‑quality products efficiently.

ALL ABOUT YOU

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BSc/MSc in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Materials Science) with the foundational scientific knowledge needed to succeed in aerosol formulation and testing.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams, showing strong ownership, reliability, and collaboration in R&D environments.
• Strong technical skills paired with technical curiosity, with a willingness to learn, troubleshoot, and explore new technologies or methodologies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, enabling clear reporting, data interpretation, and effective engagement with project teams.
• Consumer‑ and customer‑centric mindset, complemented by a bias for action and a growth mindset, ensuring proactive problem‑solving and continuous improvement.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous hands‑on experience in hair aerosol development
• Digital & data analysis capability,
• Broader technical expertise in relevant scientific areas - such as colloid/polymer/material science - or experience in personal care formulation

NOTES

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary and pension scheme, we also offer an annual bonus, free gym, a discounted staff shop and shares. You’ll have the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment.

Whilst the role is advertised on a full-time basis, we would be happy to discuss possible flexible working options and what this may look like for you. We are a key advocate of wellbeing and offer a variety of support for our people including hubs, programmes and development opportunities. We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. We are also more than happy to provide reasonable adjustments during our application and interview process to enable you to be present your best self. To find out more, click here: Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

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How is Unilever tackling this?

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