Senior Cosmetic Chemist

Keune Haircosmetics | B Corp; Soest; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Travel allowance

27 vacation days

Relocation support

Pension plan

Competitive salary

8% holiday pay

Staff discounts on KEUNE products

Mental well-being program (OpenUp)

Group classes at Personal Fitness Soes

Job summary

KEUNE Haircosmetics in the Netherlands is seeking an experienced Senior Cosmetic Chemist to lead NPD projects and drive formulation development for haircare, hairstyling, and color products. You will manage timelines, ensure regulatory compliance, and act as a technical reference for cross-functional teams and clients.

The role requires strong hands-on laboratory work, a track record of launching cosmetic products, and the ability to mentor junior chemists while collaborating with production,

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, or related field.
• At least 7 years of cosmetic formulation and development experience.
• Proven track record of developing and launching cosmetic products.
• Strong hands-on formulation skills and ability to manage multiple development activities.
• Ability to lead technical client conversations and manage cross-functional colleagues.
• Experience mentoring junior chemists and guiding medior staff.
• Eligible to work in the Netherlands.

Responsibilities

• Lead assigned new product development projects from brief to commercialization, owning technical execution, timelines, and follow-up in line with the NPD process.
• Develop and optimize haircare, hairstyling, and hair color formulations through hands-on laboratory work.
• Act as technical reference for projects: review briefs, clarify requirements, identify risks, and translate into a development plan.
• Lead technical discussions with clients alongside Project Management and Commercial teams.
• Provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level chemists on shared projects.
• Plan, organize, execute, document, and follow up on submissions, stability, safety, and performance testing.

Skills

Formulation expertise

Project leadership

Client communication

Team mentorship

Education

Master's in Chemistry or Cosmetic Science

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.

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 escape 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.Our story begins in 1922, in Amsterdam. Today, KEUNE belongs to one of the fastest growing brands in professional hair care products. From our headquarters in Soest, KEUNE products are developed, produced and distributed worldwide to more than 85 countries. And we have no intention of slowing down! Every year we open a new site of our own.We produce in a sustainable and animal‑friendly way and are B Corp-certified. But KEUNE is not just about creating beautiful products - it's about our story and our vision. KEUNE is led by Philip Berlijn, who is focused on building a strong brand and creating a corporate culture that is all about collaboration, sustainability and showing character

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate on the basis of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, age, disability, neurodiversity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know, and we will work with you to support your participation.

Acquisition in response to this vacancy is not appreciated.