Senior Cosmetic R&D Project Lead — Formulation & Innovation

Bath & Body Works; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Bath & Body Works seeks a Senior Technical Project Manager for its R&D team in Columbus, OH. The role leads formulation development for medium to high complexity projects, partnering with contract manufacturers and fragrance houses to deliver innovative personal care products.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years in formulation development within cosmetics, strong PM skills, and a track record of cross-functional leadership.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on formulation development experience in an R&D laboratory.
• Formulation experience in Personal Care/Beauty Cosmetics required.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers from development through scale-up.
• Understanding of global cosmetics regulations and material compliance preferred.
• Experience in project management preferred.
• Strong problem-solving, initiative, and adaptability.
• Sophisticated communication skills (verbal, written, presentation).
• Strong influencing and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end formulation development from concept to launch.
• Serve as technical lead and decision-maker for projects with cross-functional teams.
• Develop prototypes and commercial formulas with manufacturers and suppliers.
• Conduct hands-on formulation work to support research and optimization.
• Identify and resolve formulation stability, compatibility and quality issues.
• Collaborate with Regulatory, Safety, Quality Assurance, and Manufacturing teams.
• Evaluate new technologies, raw materials, and formulation approaches for innovation.
• Lead technical discussions in cross-functional commercialization and leadership meetings.
• Build relationships with suppliers and contract manufacturers to meet objectives.
• Monitor industry trends and translate insights into development strategies.
• Mentor junior team members and support multiple projects.

Skills

Formulation development

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in Cosmetic Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related

Job description

Bath & Body Works seeks a Senior Technical Project Manager for its R&D team in Columbus, OH. The role leads formulation development for medium to high complexity projects, partnering with contract manufacturers and fragrance houses to deliver innovative personal care products.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years in formulation development within cosmetics, strong PM skills, and a track record of cross-functional leadership.