Experienced Cosmetic R&D Formulation Chemist

Caliscc; California, Northern (MO, KY); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Spa de Soleil, Inc. is seeking an Experienced R&D Formulation Chemist to develop, optimize, and scale cosmetic formulations for commercial production.

The role combines hands-on lab work with manufacturing support across product families including skincare, personal care, and OTC items. The ideal candidate will have 3–7 years of hands-on cosmetic formulation experience, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to transfer formulas from bench to full-scale production while ensuring quality

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Cosmetic Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Biochemistry, or related field.
• 3–7 years of hands-on formulation experience in cosmetics or personal-care products.
• Experience developing emulsions and cosmetic product forms.
• Experience scaling formulas from lab to pilot and full production.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative skincare and OTC formulations for commercial production.
• Formulate creams, lotions, emulsions, serums, cleansers, oils, scrubs, and related products.
• Reformulate or improve existing products for stability, cost, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead scale-up from bench to production batches and support pilot runs.
• Troubleshoot formulation issues including stability, viscosity, and homogenization.
• Work with Regulatory and Quality to ensure GMP compliance and documentation.

Skills

Cosmetic formulation knowledge

Formulation troubleshooting

Laboratory skills

Scale-up experience

Documentation proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry or related field

3–7 years hands-on cosmetics formulation experience

Tools

MS Office

Laboratory documentation systems

Job description

Experienced Cosmetic R&D Formulation Chemist

SDS, Inc.

Job Posting
Sep. 19, 2026

Position Summary

Spa de Soleil, Inc., a cosmetics, skincare, personal-care, and OTC product manufacturer, is seeking an experienced R&D Formulation Chemist to develop, improve, scale, and troubleshoot commercial formulations.

This is a hands-on laboratory and manufacturing position. The ideal candidate must be able to create successful bench formulations and confidently transfer them through pilot batches and full-scale production. This position works closely with Production, Compounding, Quality, Regulatory, Purchasing, and customers throughout the product-development process.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop innovative and commercially viable skincare, personal-care, hair-care, and topical OTC formulations.
• Formulate products such as creams, lotions, emulsions, serums, cleansers, oils, scrubs, body-care products, hair-care products, deodorants, and related products.
• Reformulate or improve existing products for performance, stability, cost, ingredient availability, or regulatory requirements.
• Conduct laboratory batches, pilot batches, and full-scale manufacturing trials.
• Lead formula scale-up from bench quantities to commercial production batches.
• Provide hands-on support during first production runs and resolve manufacturing issues involving mixing, heating, cooling, order of addition, viscosity, pH, aeration, homogenization, and processing time.
• Troubleshoot product instability, separation, discoloration, odor changes, viscosity drift, precipitation, microbial concerns, and other formulation challenges.
• Select appropriate raw materials, emulsifiers, surfactants, thickeners, preservatives, active ingredients, fragrances, and functional additives.
• Design and evaluate preservative systems appropriate for each product and packaging format.
• Establish product specifications and appropriate testing requirements.
• Initiate, monitor, and evaluate accelerated and real-time stability testing, freeze-thaw testing, packaging compatibility, and other product-development studies.
• Review stability data and determine whether formulas are ready for customer approval and commercial production.
• Evaluate alternative raw materials and perform substitutions when materials are discontinued, unavailable, cost-prohibitive, or no longer compliant.
• Optimize formulations and manufacturing processes for cost, efficiency, repeatability, and product performance.
• Prepare and maintain formulas, procedures, batch instructions, specifications, development reports, stability records, raw-material documentation, and related technical records.
• Ensure formulas and laboratory records are accurate, controlled, traceable, and properly documented.
• Work with Regulatory and Quality personnel to support ingredient compliance, product claims, labeling, technical documentation, and GMP requirements.
• Support OTC topical product development and manufacturing when applicable.
• Communicate with customers regarding product objectives, samples, revisions, technical limitations, and development timelines.
• Evaluate customer benchmarks and create formulas that meet agreed-upon performance, sensory, cost, and marketing requirements.
• Review and approve production batch procedures and provide technical training to compounders when needed.
• Investigate and help resolve out-of-specification batches, production deviations, customer complaints, and product-performance concerns.
• Maintain an organized, clean, and safe laboratory in accordance with company procedures and GMP requirements.
• Manage multiple development projects, priorities, and customer deadlines simultaneously.
• Perform other R&D and technical duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Cosmetic Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Biochemistry, or a related scientific field.
• At least 3-7 years of hands-on formulation experience in cosmetics, skincare, personal care, hair care, topical OTC products, or a closely related manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience developing emulsions and other cosmetic or personal-care product forms.
• Proven experience scaling formulas from laboratory batches to pilot and full commercial production.
• Strong understanding of cosmetic raw materials, formulation principles, preservation systems, product stability, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience troubleshooting formulas and production batches.
• Experience preparing formulas, manufacturing procedures, specifications, stability documentation, and technical reports.
• Familiarity with cosmetic GMP requirements and controlled laboratory documentation.
• Ability to work on-site and provide hands-on support in both the R&D laboratory and production areas.
• Strong organizational, analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple customer projects and deadlines in a fast-paced contract manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and formulation or laboratory documentation systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working for a cosmetics or personal-care contract manufacturer/CDMO.
• Experience developing topical OTC drug products.
• Familiarity with FDA cosmetic requirements, MoCRA, OTC drug requirements, and 21 CFR Parts 210 and 211.
• Experience with active-ingredient assay requirements, batch uniformity, process validation, and manufacturing validation.
• Knowledge of cosmetic ingredient restrictions, Prop 65 considerations, INCI nomenclature, and domestic or international regulatory requirements.
• Experience working directly with customers, suppliers, regulatory personnel, and third-party testing laboratories.
• Experience with cost analysis and formula-cost reduction.
• Familiarity with technology transfer, process validation, cleaning validation, and production investigations.

What We Are Looking For

We are seeking a practical, production-minded formulator not someone whose experience is limited to academic research or small laboratory batches. The successful candidate will understand that a formula must not only perform well in the laboratory but must also be stable, reproducible, cost-effective, compliant, and manufacturable at commercial scale.

The ideal candidate is comfortable working at the bench, observing batches on the production floor, collaborating with compounders, troubleshooting under real manufacturing conditions, and taking ownership of projects from initial concept through commercialization.

Physical and Work Requirements

• Ability to work safely in laboratory and manufacturing environments.
• Ability to stand for extended periods and move between the laboratory and production floor.
• Ability to handle laboratory equipment, raw materials, and product samples.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment.
• Ability to lift up to _____ pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Occasional schedule flexibility may be required during scale-up batches, production trials, or urgent troubleshooting.

Application Requirements

Applicants should submit a résumé describing their direct experience with:

• Cosmetic or personal-care formulation
• Product categories formulated
• Preservation and stability testing
• Bench-to-production scale-up
• Manufacturing troubleshooting
• OTC topical products, if applicable

Please do not include confidential formulas or proprietary information from current or former employers.