Cosmetic Formulation Scientist – R&D

Actalent; Edison (NJ); On-site; USD 51,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Time Off/Leave

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Chemist in Edison, NJ to lead cosmetic formulation development for OTC and non-OTC personal care products. The role involves managing multiple R&D projects, preparing samples, and collaborating with Sales and customers to meet technical and aesthetic specifications.

The ideal candidate has 4+ years in cosmetic formulation, strong formulation knowledge, and demonstrated ability to mentor junior chemists while ensuring GLP-compliant documentation and robust stability testing.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in cosmetic formulation development and R&D.
• Strong chemistry and formulation expertise with cosmetic ingredients.
• Proven ability to design stable base formulations for OTC and non-OTC products.
• Experience reviewing Product Development Requests (PDRs) and translating to formulations.
• Experience interfacing with clients or customers in a technical capacity.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet timelines.
• Proficiency in stability testing per approved protocols.
• Ability to optimize formulations for performance and cost-efficiency.
• Strong documentation skills and adherence to GLP.

Responsibilities

• Review new Product Development Requests (PDRs) and collaborate with Sales Executives to clarify requirements and ensure successful completion of each project.
• Formulate OTC and non-OTC personal care, skin care, hair care, and sun care products that meet customer-defined technical and aesthetic attributes.
• Design and develop 50–60 new stable base formulations annually, leveraging knowledge of cosmetic ingredients and processes.
• Effectively manage multiple R&D projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks to meet timelines.
• Prepare lab batches for customer sample submissions and reformulate samples based on feedback.
• Perform stability testing and reformulate initial formulas when issues arise.
• Stay current with emerging ingredients and technologies and apply innovations to products.
• Optimize formulations for performance, cost-effectiveness, and production efficiency.
• Provide technical support to Sales Executives and customers, including account-team participation.
• Maintain rigorous documentation in accordance with GLP standards.
• Mentor junior chemists and guide project work to ensure successful sample submissions.
• Engage with customers to understand requirements and present new product concepts.

Skills

Cosmetic formulation

GLP knowledge

Project management

Client interaction

Documentation

Mentoring

Job description

Actalent is seeking a Chemist in Edison, NJ to lead cosmetic formulation development for OTC and non-OTC personal care products. The role involves managing multiple R&D projects, preparing samples, and collaborating with Sales and customers to meet technical and aesthetic specifications.

The ideal candidate has 4+ years in cosmetic formulation, strong formulation knowledge, and demonstrated ability to mentor junior chemists while ensuring GLP-compliant documentation and robust stability testing.