R&D Formulation Scientist Intern - 6 Month Internship

Prose; Paris (TX); On-site; USD 15,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

Prose in Paris is seeking a Formulation Scientist Intern to join our R&D team and support the development of personalized cosmetic products. You will report to the R&D Project Leader and collaborate with product development, scientific affairs, and cross-functional teams.

Start date: Jan 2027 for 6 months. The role emphasizes creative problem solving, autonomous work style, and fluency in French and English within a fast-growing startup environment.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s Degree (Chemistry, Biology, Food Science).
• Cosmetics formulation experience in a beauty company is a plus.
• Creativity and curiosity are essential.
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal administrative support.
• Fluent in French and English; strong cross-cultural communication.

Responsibilities

• Identify and assess innovative ingredients aligning with Prose’s formulation charter.
• Develop and optimize formula prototypes meeting consumer needs and technical constraints.
• Conduct formula characterization and performance evaluation (in vitro & in vivo).

Skills

Creativity

Autonomy

Interpersonal skills

French & English

Education

Master’s Degree in Chemistry/ Biology/ Food Science

Job description

Our Mission

Prose is truly custom hair and skin care made-to-order—just for you. Our line of custom products are made by an in-house, Paris-based R&D team of gifted chemists who combine natural ingredients in innovative ways alongside dermatologists, giving consumers clean skin care, hair care and impeccable results.

At the heart of Prose’s success is Singular, its proprietary AI-powered beauty-tech platform, which has revolutionized personalized beauty at scale. Marrying a technology-driven approach with an apothecary-style concept, all Prose hair and skin care products are personalized to your one-of-a-kind hair, skin, goals and environment.

We’re a company that wants to change beauty practices, so we’re changing the way beauty companies practice. As a certified B Corporation, a Public Benefit Corporation and Climate Neutral, we’re proving that good business is always sustainable. With Prose, there’s nothing sacrificed to bring you great products—not trees, materials, wages, or performance.

Prose & Singular in Numbers

• Founded in 2017, with hubs in Paris, New York, and Los Angeles
• 10M+ consultations completed
• 2M customers and 350K active subscribers
• 21M custom products made, with 1M+ unique formulas
• 350+ team members across disciplines
• $600M+ in lifetime sales, with $165M+ revenue in 2024
• Profitable since 2024

Discover our Company Culture on Welcome to the Jungle here

Discover our Company Mission & Vision in video here

At Prose, we don’t believe in "one-size-fits-most." We create custom hair care that’s inclusive to all hair types, needs, and preferences. Each of our hair care products is customized to a person’s hair needs based on the results from an online consultation. The individual data is processed through a proprietary algorithm and made-to-order in the Prose lab using natural active ingredients. Marrying emerging technologies with the best in beauty, Prose is truly creating something special.

This is the opportunity to join a fast-growing startup and an energetic team that works together to deliver creative solutions that are transforming the way people think about and shop for hair and skin care. We’re looking for talented problem solvers who lead with passion and who face any task with a positive mindset.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Formulation Scientist Intern to join our R&D team in Paris and support the development of personalized cosmetic products. You will report to the R&D Project Leader and collaborate closely with other R&D experts (product development, scientific affairs, product evaluation) as well as cross-functional teams (manufacturing operations, brand marketing, etc.).

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and assess innovative new ingredients that comply with Prose’s formulation charter
• Develop and optimize formula prototypes that meet consumer needs and technical constraints
• Conduct formula characterization and performance evaluation (in vitro & in vivo)

Key Candidate Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s Degree (Chemistry, Biology, Food Science)
• First experience in formulation within a beauty company is a plus. Knowledge of the cosmetics industry is also appreciated
• Creativity and curiosity
• Ability to work autonomously, with minimal administrative support
• Fluent in French and English
• Strong interpersonal skills and cross-cultural sensitivity

Start date and duration : Jan-2027 for 6 months

Prose Values

Intentional Inclusivity

• We know the best ideas come from open minds and willingness to listen. While our products cater to the individual, an invitation into our process is always open to our community.
• We value our differences and diverse backgrounds by communicating openly, managing with transparency and striving to understand one another’s perspective. It’s a key ingredient to our innovation.

Connected Collaboration

• Our strength as a group will outlast our efforts as individual contributors. With offices across countries, staying inventive and agile deepens our clear vision and consistent communication.
• We stay in a spirit of entrepreneurial collaboration: We do not have consensus at all times, but we trust one another to work toward our common goals. Our success is an expression and result of our progressive and gratifying teamwork.

Driven, Together

• We value ownership and coaching that encourages employees to think constructively and creatively about the business. We view employees as leaders and individuals who are accountable, resourceful and responsible. Anyone and everyone is encouraged to lead.
• We recognize that in order to continue thinking one step ahead, we will need to try new things. We strive to provide an open environment that accepts this truth, making space for new ideas to emerge.

Humanity Always

• We assume good intentions in every interaction, keeping ourselves accountable for the climate we create. We seek to understand our co-workers through this lens of conscious benevolence, authenticity and fellowship.
• We operate with the intention of preserving resources, creating an environment we can all live in – for our business and the world. Sustainable care is essential to our ethos as an organization. We take a mindful approach to how we think about our people (employees) and our planet.