Senior Cosmetic Chemist

Keune Haircosmetics; Soest; On-site; EUR 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel allowance

27 vacation days per year (full-time)

Relocation support

Pension plan

Competitive salary

8% holiday pay

Staff discounts on Keune collection

OpenUp mental well-being access

Personal Fitness Soest classes

Job summary

Keune Haircosmetics in Soest, Netherlands, is seeking an experienced Senior Cosmetic Chemist to lead the development of professional haircare products within KEUNE Beauty Solutions. You will combine strong formulation hands-on skills with guiding medior and junior chemists while collaborating with clients and cross-functional teams to deliver high-performing products to market.

The role requires a Master's in Chemistry or Cosmetic Science, 7+ years in cosmetic formulation, and the ability to

Qualifications

• Lead NPD projects from brief to commercialization.
• Develop and optimize haircare formulations in the lab.
• Act as technical reference; translate briefs into plans.
• Guide junior/mid-level chemists; own project outcomes.
• Support scale-up, first production runs, and troubleshooting.

Responsibilities

• Lead assigned new product development projects from brief to commercialization.
• Develop and optimize haircare, hairstyling, and hair color formulations through hands-on laboratory work.
• Act as technical reference for assigned projects: review client briefs, clarify requirements, identify risks.
• Provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level chemists; maintain project ownership.
• Plan, organize, execute, and follow up on submissions, stability, safety testing; track results.

Skills

Formulation skills

Project leadership

Client communication

Team mentorship

Problem solving

Education

Master's degree in Chemistry or Cosmetic Science

Tools

Analytical instrumentation (HPLC, GC)

Regulatory compliance

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Senior Cosmetic Chemist for our KEUNE Beauty Solutions team. You combine excellent formulation skills with the confidence to tackle development projects independently. You will remain closely involved in hands-on laboratory work while taking responsibility for assigned projects, guiding fellow medior and junior chemists, and working directly with clients and cross-functional teams to bring high-performing products to market.

• Soest, Utrecht, Nederland
• Research & Innovation

At KEUNE, we develop and manufacture not only our own professional haircare products but also products for KEUNE Beauty Solutions (KBS), our private label division. Through KBS, we partner with beauty brands worldwide, offering end-to-end solutions from formulation development and manufacturing to the delivery of finished products.

MISSION

• Lead assigned new product development projects from brief to commercialization, taking ownership of technical execution, deliverables, timelines, and follow-up in line with the NPD process.
• Develop and optimize haircare, hairstyling, and hair color formulations through hands-on laboratory work, ensuring product performance, safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.
• Act as technical reference for assigned projects: review client briefs, clarify requirements, identify risks, and translate expectations into a clear development plan.
• Participate in and lead technical discussions with clients, working alongside Project Management and Commercial teams to align expectations, feasibility, and next steps.
• Provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level chemists working on shared projects, while maintaining ownership for project outcomes.
• Plan, organize, execute, document, and follow up on submissions, stability, safety, and performance testing, ensuring decisions and results are properly tracked.
• Proactively identify potential delays or technical challenges, communicate them early, and drive practical solutions with the relevant stakeholders.
• Support scale-up, first production runs, and troubleshooting in collaboration with Production and Quality Control.
• Stay informed about market trends, emerging ingredients, and technologies, and turn insights into relevant innovation concepts and proposals for clients.
• Apply appropriate instrumental and analytical methods to evaluate formulations, substantiate performance, and support technical decisions.

YOU

• Master's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, or a related field.
• At least 7 years of relevant cosmetic formulation and development experience, with strong expertise in hair products.
• A proven track record of developing and successfully launching cosmetic products.
• Strong hands-on formulation skills, paired with the ability to organize and tackle multiple development activities.
• A proactive, independent, and accountable working style: you take initiative, follow through on commitments, and know when to elevate issues.
• Confidence in leading technical client conversations, challenging or clarifying briefs constructively, and managing expectations together with cross-functional colleagues.
• Ability to guide junior and mid-level chemists.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, including the ability to explain technical topics to non-technical stakeholders.
• Curiosity about innovation, new ingredients, and opportunities to improve products and ways of working.
• Eligible to work in the Netherlands

OUR OFFER

• A sustainably-conscious employer;
• Travel allowance
• 27 vacation days per year (based on full-time employment);
• Relocation support
• A good pension plan;
• A competitive salary;
• 8% holiday pay;
• And never have a "bad hair day" again thanks to staff discounts on the entire Keune collection!
• Attention to your mental well-being through unlimited access to OpenUp
• Participation in group classes at Personal Fitness Soest

KEUNE

We are a family business with a long-term vision, where science is at the heart of everything we do. We produce in a sustainable and animal-friendly way and are B Corp-certified.