Director, Research & Development - Aerosol

Voyant Beauty; Elkhart (IN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Voyant Beauty seeks a Director of R&D Aerosol to provide strategic leadership for development and process governance across the aerosol network, starting with Gainesville, Georgia and extending to other sites. You will guide risk assessment, scale-up, and transfer while coaching senior teams and coordinating with Operations, Quality, and Regulatory.

This leadership role emphasizes cost-of-nonquality reduction, robust product and process controls, and a strong governance framework to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Packaging Engineering, or related discipline (Required) or
• Master's Degree in relevant scientific, engineering, or business field (Preferred)
• 7-9 years Aerosol product and process development experience including scale-up and commercialization (Required)
• 7-9 years Leadership experience across complex portfolios or locations (Required)
• 7-9 years Technical governance: risk assessment, reviews, problem solving, and manufacturing transfer (Required)
• 7-9 years Cross-functional partnership with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Regulatory, Safety, Supply Chain, Commercial (Required)

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and technical direction for all Voyant Aerosol Development activities, with Gainesville GA as initial priority.
• Assess project, product, and process risk from concept through commercialization; document mitigation plans.
• Lead cost‑of‑nonquality driven process improvements using defect data and launch learnings.
• Guide scale-up, technology transfer, and commercialization readiness through first three production runs.
• Coach Aerosol R&D leaders and teams, including Elkhart Senior Manager.
• Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Regulatory, Safety, Supply Chain, and customers to remove root causes of nonquality.
• Own operating model and technical governance for Aerosol R&D from intake to launch stabilization.
• Establish risk profiles, decision criteria, escalation paths, and action accountability.
• Provide coaching on structured problem solving, experimentation, and knowledge transfer to manufacturing.
• Ensure formulas, specs, process parameters, and risk assessments are complete and usable by plants.

Skills

Aerosol knowledge

Risk-based decisions

Design of Experiments

Root cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical governance

Executive communication

Coaching/mentoring

Manufacturing transfer

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's in Chemistry/Engineering or Packaging

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Regulatory/compliance tools

Job description

Voyant Beauty believes our people are more than just employees; they’re the driving force behind everything we achieve. Our culture fosters teamwork, respect, and camaraderie, ensuring that every individual’s contribution is valued and celebrated. We invest in their growth, providing opportunities for development and advancement within our dynamic team.

Voyant Beauty is a company that specializes in the development and manufacturing, of beauty, personal and home care products. We work with various brands, retailers, and businesses to create customer formulations and products tailored to their needs. This can include skincare, haircare, bath and body products, fragrances, and more. Essentially, Voyant Beauty serves as a one-stop-shop for companies looking to bring their beauty and personal care product ideas to life.

Safety is a core value at Voyant Beauty. We prioritize the well-being of our team members, ensuring a safe and secure environment where everyone can thrive and excel.

If you’re seeking to be part of a team where your talents are valued, your safety is paramount, and your efforts contribute to meaningful change, then Voyant Beauty is the place for you. Come join us and be a part of our journey.

A Brief Overview

The Director, R&D Aerosol provides enterprise leadership, technical direction, and process governance for Voyant Aerosol Development, with an immediate focus on eliminating the cost of nonquality in Voyant aerosol plants, specifically Gainesville, Georgia. This role establishes robust development and commercialization practices that prevent defects, reduce avoidable failure and rework, and improve right-first-time performance. The Director coaches Aerosol R&D leaders and teams, identifies and implements process improvements, and guides projects from inception through commercialization. The Director assesses formulation, package, process, quality, safety, regulatory, scale-up, and execution risk, then ensures effective mitigation, learning, and decision‑making through the first three production runs. The Senior Manager, R&D in Elkhart reports directly to this role.

What you will do

• Provide strategic and technical direction for all Voyant Aerosol Development activities, with immediate leadership attention to eliminating cost of nonquality at the Gainesville, Georgia aerosol plant and preventing recurrence across the aerosol network.
• Assess project, product, and process risk from concept through commercialization; identify likely sources of nonquality before transfer; facilitate timely technical decisions; and ensure mitigation plans are documented, owned, verified, and escalated as appropriate.
• Lead development and commercialization process improvement using cost-of-nonquality data, recurring defect themes, deviations, rework, scrap, holds, complaints, and launch learning to prioritize corrective and preventive changes.
• Guide scale-up, technology transfer, and commercialization readiness, including hands‑on R&D governance through the first three production runs and confirmation that process capability, specifications, operating ranges, and defect‑prevention controls are understood and transferred.
• Coach, develop, and hold accountable Aerosol R&D leadership and technical teams, including direct leadership of the Senior Manager, R&D in Elkhart.
• Partner closely with Gainesville Operations, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, Regulatory, Safety, Supply Chain, Commercial, and customers to remove root causes of nonquality and deliver robust products and capable manufacturing processes.
• Own the operating model and technical governance for Aerosol R&D from project intake and feasibility through launch stabilization, with Gainesville as the initial priority for cost‑of‑nonquality reduction.
• Establish project risk profiles, decision criteria, technical review points, escalation paths, and accountability for corrective actions.
• Coach teams in structured problem solving, root cause analysis, experimentation, scale‑up, and transfer of knowledge into manufacturing.
• Establish a fact‑based cost‑of‑nonquality review for Gainesville, identify systemic sources of failure and variation, prioritize the largest preventable losses, and sponsor changes that improve quality, predictability, yield, and right‑first‑time execution.
• Ensure formulas, component requirements, specifications, process parameters, risk assessments, trial outcomes, acceptance criteria, and commercialization learnings are complete, technically justified, and usable by aerosol plants.
• Provide active technical oversight during initial production and ensure first‑three‑run deviations, defects, downtime drivers, rework, scrap, and other nonquality signals are investigated, closed, and incorporated into the formula, package, process, specification, or control plan as appropriate.
• Build organizational capability through mentoring, succession planning, technical standards, and communities of practice.
• Communicate cost‑of‑nonquality priorities, technical risks, corrective actions, decision needs, resource constraints, validated financial impact, and sustained improvement progress to R&D and business leadership.
• Duties may vary slightly by location.

Education Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Packaging Engineering, or a related scientific or engineering discipline, or equivalent relevant experience. (Required) or
• Master's Degree Relevant scientific, engineering, or business discipline. (Preferred)

Experience Qualifications

• 7-9 years Aerosol product and process development, including scale-up and commercialization in a regulated consumer products or related manufacturing environment. (Required)
• 7-9 years Leadership experience: Leadership of technical teams and people leaders across complex portfolios or multiple locations. (Required)
• 7-9 years Technical governance: Risk assessment, technical reviews, structured problem solving, process improvement, and manufacturing transfer. (Required)
• 7-9 years Cross‑functional partnership: Operations, Quality, Engineering, Regulatory, Safety, Supply Chain, Commercial teams, and customers. (Required)

Skills and Abilities

• Deep knowledge of aerosol development principles, components, formulation‑package compatibility, filling processes, scale‑up, and manufacturing controls. (High proficiency)
• Risk‑based decision making and ability to distinguish critical technical risks from routine execution issues. (High proficiency)
• Practical command of continuous improvement, design of experiments, root cause analysis, data interpretation, and change leadership. (High proficiency)
• Ability to translate technical complexity into clear decisions, priorities, and executive‑level communication. (High proficiency)
• Ability to coach senior technical talent, establish standards, and influence across functions without relying solely on authority. (High proficiency)
• Business acumen and customer orientation, balancing innovation, speed, cost, quality, safety, and manufacturability. (High proficiency)
• Ability to establish and use cost‑of‑nonquality data, defect themes, deviations, rework, scrap, holds, complaints, and launch learning to prioritize improvements. (High proficiency)
• Knowledge of regulatory and safety requirements applicable to aerosol development and manufacturing. (High proficiency)
• Proficiency with common business software for technical data analysis, reporting, and executive communication. (Medium proficiency)

To Staffing and Recruiting Agencies:

Our company does not accept unsolicited curriculum vitae’s or applications from agencies. We are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited curriculum vitae’s or applications and explicitly reserve its right to contact candidates presented in such unsolicited curriculum vitae’s or application.

Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability or veteran status. Voyant Beauty will consider requests for accommodations due to a disability impacting a qualified employee's ability to perform the essential functions of their position consistent with applicable laws. In addition to federal law requirements, Voyant Beauty complies with applicable provincial and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring placement, promotion, termination layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.