Head of Skincare R&D, Innovation & Packaging

Kanara; Tangerang; On-site; IDR 600,000,000 - 1,000,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Kanara is seeking a Head of Product Research & Innovation to lead R&D, Product Innovation, and Packaging Development with a strong emphasis on skincare and cosmetics. The role combines hands-on formulation leadership with strategic product development and cross-functional collaboration to deliver innovative, high-quality products.

The ideal candidate will have deep cosmetic formulation expertise, extensive leadership experience, and a track record of scaling products from concept to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Pharmacy, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in R&D, Formulation, Product Development, or Innovation, preferably within skincare, cosmetics, personal care, or FMCG.
• Strong and proven expertise in skincare, cosmetic formulation and R&D is preferred.
• Experience managing or leading packaging development is preferred.
• Proven experience taking products from formulation and prototype development through testing, optimization, scale-up, and commercialization.
• Experience leading an R&D, Product Development, Packaging Development, or/and Formulation team.
• Strong understanding of cosmetic ingredients, formulation principles, product stability, compatibility, testing, and product performance.
• Experience in product innovation, including developing new product concepts, exploring new ingredients or technologies, renovating and improving existing products.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, timelines, priorities, and resources.
• Strong technical problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Experience working with third-party manufacturers, laboratories, suppliers, or external R&D partners.
• Good understanding of relevant cosmetic regulatory and quality requirements.
• Experience with supplements/nutraceutical products is a strong plus.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and people management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the R&D, Product Innovation, and Packaging Development functions, providing technical direction and setting priorities across the teams.
• Act as the key technical lead for formulation R&D and product development, from research and formulation through testing, optimization, scale-up, and commercialization, for skincare, cosmetics, personal care, & nutrition.
• Lead the development and improvement of skincare, cosmetics, & personal care formulations, ensuring product performance, stability, safety, quality, and cost requirements are met.
• Research and evaluate new ingredients, formulation technologies, product formats, and development approaches to support both new product development and product improvement.
• Review and challenge formulations, raw materials, product specifications, testing results, stability data, and other technical development outputs.
• Provide technical direction and recommendations on formulation feasibility, product performance, ingredient selection, testing, and development trade-offs.
• Lead the overall product development pipeline, ensuring projects are prioritized appropriately and progress according to agreed timelines and business priorities.
• Work closely with Marketing and Commercial teams to translate product briefs and market requirements into technically feasible and differentiated product concepts.
• Lead collaboration with third-party manufacturers, laboratories, ingredient suppliers, packaging suppliers, and other external R&D partners.
• Work closely with Regulatory and Quality teams to ensure products meet applicable quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the Packaging team and oversee packaging development, including material selection, functionality, product compatibility, specifications, testing, quality, and development timelines.
• Ensure packaging solutions are technically compatible with the product and suitable for manufacturing, scalability, consumer use, and cost requirements.
• Oversee product testing, stability, compatibility, optimization, and technical troubleshooting throughout the development process.
• Support and provide technical direction during scale-up, manufacturing trials, and commercialization.
• Identify technical risks, development challenges, potential delays, and provide direction on appropriate solutions.
• Prioritize projects and allocate resources across R&D, Innovation, and Packaging based on business priorities, technical complexity, and timelines.
• Develop and continuously improve R&D, product development, innovation, and packaging processes and standards.
• Lead, develop, and coach R&D, Product Innovation, and Packaging Development teams, including setting technical standards (Process Workflow, SOPs, & Work Instructions), reviewing performance, and building team capabilities.
• Stay updated on cosmetic & nutrition ingredients, formulation technologies, packaging innovations, and industry developments to continuously strengthen the company’s product development capabilities.

Skills

Leadership

RD management

Cosmetic formulation

Packaging development

Project management

Regulatory & quality

Supplier collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Pharmacy/Chemistry/Chemical Eng.

Job description

Kanara is seeking a Head of Product Research & Innovation to lead R&D, Product Innovation, and Packaging Development with a strong emphasis on skincare and cosmetics. The role combines hands-on formulation leadership with strategic product development and cross-functional collaboration to deliver innovative, high-quality products.

The ideal candidate will have deep cosmetic formulation expertise, extensive leadership experience, and a track record of scaling products from concept to