Senior R&D Formulation Leader - 6-Month Contract

nextSource; Paramus (NJ); On-site; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401(k) retirement planning

Discount program

Job summary

nextSource is seeking a Senior Head of Research & Development Formulation in Paramus, NJ to lead BeautyLab’s R&D, formulation, regulatory, and technical activities. The role oversees workflow design, KPI reporting, and collaboration with Leadership, Commercial, Product Execution, Quality and Formula Innovation.

The position calls for 8+ years in beauty or related fields and 5+ years leading an R&D or lab team, with strong communication and cost-analysis skills.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in beauty, cosmetics, personal care, or related industries.
• 5+ years of experience leading an R&D, formulation, or laboratory team.
• Working knowledge of cosmetic formulation, product development, contract manufacturing, regulatory compliance, and commercialization.
• Strong customer-facing communication and presentation skills.
• Experience building operational systems, KPIs, and business processes preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead BeautyLab’s R&D, formulation, regulatory, and technical activities.
• Build and maintain workflows, KPI reporting, and process improvement for the R&D function.
• Oversee formula development, stability, compatibility, scale-up, and commercialization support.
• Provide scientific expertise in customer meetings, innovation sessions, and technical presentations.
• Support pricing discussions through technical and formulation cost assessments.
• Provide technical guidance and feasibility recommendations on customer programs.
• Manage laboratory resources, suppliers, contract manufacturers, and technical partners.
• Support sustainability and PPWR readiness initiatives.

Skills

R&D leadership

Cosmetics formulation

Regulatory compliance

Customer communication

KPIs & processes

Tools

Laboratory systems

Job description

nextSource is seeking a Senior Head of Research & Development Formulation in Paramus, NJ to lead BeautyLab’s R&D, formulation, regulatory, and technical activities. The role oversees workflow design, KPI reporting, and collaboration with Leadership, Commercial, Product Execution, Quality and Formula Innovation.

The position calls for 8+ years in beauty or related fields and 5+ years leading an R&D or lab team, with strong communication and cost-analysis skills.