Hair Care Formulation Chemist

Atrium Staffing; Ten Mile Run (NJ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

HSA contributions

Pre-tax FSAs

401(k) with company match

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Atrium Staffing is recruiting for a Hair Care Formulation Chemist to develop, optimize, and commercialize high-performance hair care products. The role emphasizes treatments, styling aids, and shampoos, with cross-functional collaboration and scale-up from lab to pilot production.

Candidates should bring 4+ years in hair care formulation, strong colloid chemistry knowledge, and experience with stability testing and regulatory compliance. On-site in New Jersey with occasional travel is required.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of hands-on formulation experience in hair care R&D.
• Experience with shampoo and conditioner formulations.
• Strong knowledge of colloid science and rheology for hair care.
• Experience developing, launching, and assessing hair care products.
• Familiarity with scale-up and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and optimize hair care products across treatments, styling aids, and shampoos.
• Lead formulation platforms and product development from lab to pilot scale.
• Collaborate with Product Development, Regulatory, Quality, and Manufacturing teams.
• Prepare technical docs, stability protocols, and batch records; ensure compliance.
• Stay updated on industry trends and pursue process/product improvements.

Skills

Hair care formulation

Colloid & surface chemistry

Emulsion technology

Rheology & polymer science

Stability testing

Scale-up & CM collaboration

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Cosmetic Science/Chemistry

Job description

Client Overview:

Our client, a leading consumer products organization focused on developing innovative, science-driven personal care solutions, is seeking a Hair Care Formulation Chemist to drive the creation and optimization of high-performance hair care products. The company combines advanced research, consumer insights, and cutting-edge ingredient technologies to deliver products that meet evolving market needs and consumer expectations.

Salary/Hourly Rate:

$70k - $75k

Position Overview:

The Hair Care Formulation Chemist is responsible for developing, optimizing, and commercializing innovative hair care products, with a focus on treatments, styling products, fixatives, shampoos, and conditioners. The Hair Care Formulation Chemist leverages deep expertise in formulation science, hair biology, and ingredient technologies to create high-performing products while collaborating cross-functionally to ensure successful scale-up, regulatory compliance, and continuous innovation. The Hair Care Formulation Chemist is fully on-site five days per week. Occasional domestic travel is required.

Responsibilities of the Hair Care Formulation Chemist:

• Formulate, improve, and evaluate innovative hair care products, including treatments, styling aids, and fixative systems.
• Design and create new formulation platforms (chassis) to support product innovation and pipeline development.
• Lead product development across a variety of packaging formats and delivery systems.
• Conduct in-depth research on ingredient functionality, hair fiber science, and emerging technologies to improve product performance, consumer benefits, and sensory attributes.
• Design, execute, and analyze experiments to assess product stability, compatibility, and overall performance.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Product Development, Regulatory, Quality, and Manufacturing, to translate consumer insights into effective, science-based product solutions.
• Prepare and maintain technical documentation, including formulation procedures, raw material specifications, stability protocols, and manufacturing batch records.
• Ensure all formulations comply with applicable regulatory, safety, and quality standards.
• Provide technical expertise in resolving formulation challenges and support the scale-up of products from laboratory development through pilot and commercial production.
• Contribute to the advancement of organizational expertise in hair science, formulation technologies, and best practices.
• Stay informed of industry trends, emerging technologies, competitive products, and new raw materials to identify opportunities for continuous innovation.

Required Experience/Skills for the Hair Care Formulation Chemist:

• Minimum of 4 years of hands‑on formulation experience within hair care research and development.
• Working knowledge of shampoo and conditioner formulations.
• Strong understanding of colloid and surface chemistry, emulsion technology, rheology, polymer science, and their applications in hair care formulations.
• Demonstrated success in developing, commercializing, and launching hair care products in the marketplace.
• Experience conducting stability, compatibility, and performance testing, with knowledge of claims substantiation and consumer evaluation methodologies.
• Familiarity with formulation scale‑up processes and collaboration with contract manufacturing partners.
• Working knowledge of cosmetic regulations, raw material compliance requirements, and global industry standards.

Preferred Experience/Skills for the Hair Care Formulation Chemist:

• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, project management, and communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, collaborative, and innovation‑driven environment.

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Cosmetic Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline is required.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including an HSA medical plan with an employer contribution.
• Pretax flexible spending accounts for medical, dependent care, transit, and parking expenses.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Paid Time Off (PTO).