Cosmetic Chemistry & Safety Data SME II

Cognizance Technologies LLC; Silver Spring (MD); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizance Technologies, LLC in Silver Spring, MD is seeking a Subject Matter Expert II with a chemistry/pharmaceutical sciences background to support FDA post-market safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients and products. You will interpret registration, product listing and adverse event data to inform compliance and risk decisions.

The role collaborates closely with the COR and requires strong scientific writing, data interpretation and tooling for data linkage across FDA systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Knowledge of cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical formulation, manufacturing, scale-up and analytical specs.
• Working knowledge of botanical ingredients in cosmetics.
• Ability to interpret complex safety, listing and adverse event data.
• Strong technical writing and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Interpret FDA data to assess cosmetic ingredient safety and product listing.
• Support data reporting and recommend follow-up actions or collaboration areas.
• Assign functional identifiers to cosmetic ingredients for safety assessments.
• Develop tools to support compliance assignments and risk assessments.
• Contribute expert input to guidance and policy documents related to data analyses.
• Prepare monthly deliverables documenting work performed and findings.

Skills

Cosmetic Chemistry

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Safety data interpretation

Technical writing

Data analysis

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelors or Masters in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Cognizance Technologies, LLC | Full time

SME II - Cosmetic Chemistry & Product Safety Data

Silver Spring, United States | Posted on 09/22/2026

We are seeking a Subject Matter Expert II with a background in chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences, including botanicals as applied to the cosmetics industry, to support FDA's post-market safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients and products. The SME will provide scientific interpretation of registration, product listing, and adverse event data to inform compliance and risk assessment decisions. The role works closely with the OCAC Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Cosmetic Registration and Product Listing: Apply expertise in product development, scale-up, manufacturing, formulation, and analytical specifications to interpret FDA data as it relates to safety. Use FDA reporting systems to analyze product listing and adverse event information in support of compliance and risk assessment.
  
• Ingredient Assessments: Assign functional identifiers to cosmetic ingredients based on their formulation roles, supporting ingredient safety assessments.
  
• Tool Identification and Development: Help develop tools that support compliance assignments and risk assessments using facility, listing, and adverse event data. Help link products across multiple FDA systems to support overall safety assessment.
  
• Data Reporting: Support timely reporting of product listing, registration, and adverse event findings, and recommend follow-up actions or areas for further collaboration.
  
• Guidance and Policy Support: Provide scientific input to guidance and policy documents related to data analyses for cosmetic products and ingredients.
  
• Prepare monthly deliverables for the COR documenting work performed and findings.
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field
  
• 5+ of relevant professional experience
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical formulation, manufacturing, scale-up, and analytical specifications
  
• Working knowledge of botanical ingredients and their use in cosmetic products
  
• Understanding of ingredient function and classification within formulations
  
• Ability to interpret complex safety, listing, and adverse event data
  
• Strong technical writing and communication skills
  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with MoCRA (Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022), Cosmetics Direct, or FDA registration and listing programs
  
• Experience with FDA adverse event reporting systems or similar pharmacovigilance and safety databases
  
• Experience with data tools or methods used for product matching, data integration, or risk prioritization
  
• Prior experience supporting FDA or another federal regulatory agency
  
• PPO/HMO Health Plan (includes medical, dental, and vision)