Director of Research & Development

Mackie Myers Ltd; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Mackie Myers Ltd in the LA area is partnering with a Beauty Manufacturer to recruit a Senior Director of Formulation. You will lead a team of formulation chemists, guide from concept to scale-up, and be the technical voice in client discussions.

The role requires 10+ years in cosmetics formulation, 5+ years leading teams, deep skincare expertise, OTC experience, and familiarity with FDA/cosmetic regulations. Travel up to ~10% is expected.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on formulation experience in cosmetics, personal care, or OTC products.
• 5+ years leading R&D teams with direct management of chemists.
• Deep skincare expertise; OTC development and commercialization experience preferred.
• Proven track record taking formulas from concept through full-scale production.
• Working knowledge of FDA and cosmetic regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and grow a team of formulation chemists with clear standards for output and quality.
• Own the development pipeline from client brief to formula approval and launch.
• Act as the technical authority on cosmetic chemistry for new development and reformulation.
• Troubleshoot stability, compatibility, processing, sensory, and production challenges.
• Ensure formulas are robust and scalable with strong hand-off to operations and quality.
• Direct testing programs including stability, package compatibility, and safety.

Skills

Team leadership

Client-facing communication

Cosmetics formulation

Education

BS in Chemistry or Cosmetic Science

Advanced degree a plus

Tools

ERP systems

R&D systems

Job description

Mackie Myers is partnering with a Beauty Manufacturer in the LA area.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the senior executive team, you'll lead the formulation function across multiple beauty products from concept and bench work through testing, scale-up, tech transfer, and launch. This is a hands-on leadership seat: you'll set direction for the team while staying close to the bench, reviewing formulas, rescuing tough projects, attending scale-ups, and joining client conversations when deep technical input is needed.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead, coach, and grow a team of formulation chemists, setting clear standards for output, quality, and documentation
• Own the development pipeline from client brief to formula approval and launch, driving speed without cutting corners
• Act as a top technical authority on cosmetic and OTC chemistry, guiding new development, reformulation, and cost-out work
• Troubleshoot stability, compatibility, processing, sensory, and production challenges
• Ensure formulas are robust and scalable, with a strong hand-off to compounding, operations, and quality
• Build an innovation pipeline of new textures, actives, delivery systems, and ready-to-adapt platform formulas
• Direct testing programs including stability, package compatibility, PET, HRIPT, and safety
• Serve as a senior technical contact for clients in meetings, presentations, and innovation sessions
• Partner with regulatory, quality, purchasing, operations, and sales to keep products compliant, manufacturable, and cost-effective
• Strengthen R&D systems, SOPs, documentation, metrics, and change control
• Manage the department budget, lab resources, and staffing needs

WHAT YOU BRING

• BS in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field; advanced degree a plus
• 10+ years of hands-on formulation experience in cosmetics, personal care, or OTC (preferred)
• 5+ years leading R&D teams with direct management of chemists
• Deep skincare expertise preferred; haircare and personal care breadth a strong plus
• OTC development and commercialization experience strongly preferred
• Proven track record taking formulas from concept through full-scale production
• Strong knowledge of stability, preservation, raw materials, packaging compatibility, and manufacturing processes
• Working knowledge of FDA and cosmetic regulations
• Contract manufacturing / CDMO background strongly preferred
• Confident client-facing communicator who can manage many programs at once
• Familiarity with R&D systems, project management tools, and ERP platforms a plus
• Ability to travel up to ~10%

WHO THRIVES HERE

A formulation chemist at heart who has become a strong people leader. Decisive, highly organized, commercially minded, and at home in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment. Someone who develops chemists rather than just assigning work, and who balances creativity and rigor with speed, cost, and manufacturability.