SME II - Cosmetic Chemistry & Product Safety Data

Cognizance Technologies, LLC; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognizance Technologies, LLC in Silver Spring, MD seeks a Subject Matter Expert II with a chemistry background and pharmaceutical sciences, including botanicals for cosmetics, to support FDA post-market safety assessments.

The role involves interpreting registration, product listing, and adverse event data to inform compliance and risk decisions, developing tooling for data analyses, and preparing monthly COR deliverables documenting work and findings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant professional experience.
• Knowledge of cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical formulation and analytical specs.
• Understanding of ingredient function in formulations.

Responsibilities

• Cosmetic Registration and Product Listing: interpret FDA data for safety and compliance.
• Ingredient Assessments: assign functional identifiers for safety assessments.
• Tool Identification and Development: create tools using listing and adverse event data.
• Data Reporting: report product listing, registration, and adverse event findings.
• Guidance and Policy Support: contribute to data analyses in guidance documents.
• Prepare monthly deliverables for the COR with findings.

Skills

Cosmetics formulation

Data interpretation

Technical writing

MS Office

Education

Chemistry/Pharmaceutical Sciences

Job description

Cognizance Technologies, LLC | Full time

SME II - Cosmetic Chemistry & Product Safety Data

Silver Spring, United States | Posted on 09/22/2026

We are seeking a Subject Matter Expert II with a background in chemistry and pharmaceutical sciences, including botanicals as applied to the cosmetics industry, to support FDA's post-market safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients and products. The SME will provide scientific interpretation of registration, product listing, and adverse event data to inform compliance and risk assessment decisions. The role works closely with the OCAC Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Cosmetic Registration and Product Listing: Apply expertise in product development, scale-up, manufacturing, formulation, and analytical specifications to interpret FDA data as it relates to safety. Use FDA reporting systems to analyze product listing and adverse event information in support of compliance and risk assessment.
  
• Ingredient Assessments: Assign functional identifiers to cosmetic ingredients based on their formulation roles, supporting ingredient safety assessments.
  
• Tool Identification and Development: Help develop tools that support compliance assignments and risk assessments using facility, listing, and adverse event data. Help link products across multiple FDA systems to support overall safety assessment.
  
• Data Reporting: Support timely reporting of product listing, registration, and adverse event findings, and recommend follow-up actions or areas for further collaboration.
  
• Guidance and Policy Support: Provide scientific input to guidance and policy documents related to data analyses for cosmetic products and ingredients.
  
• Prepare monthly deliverables for the COR documenting work performed and findings.
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field
  
• 5+ of relevant professional experience
  
• Demonstrated knowledge of cosmetic and/or pharmaceutical formulation, manufacturing, scale-up, and analytical specifications
  
• Working knowledge of botanical ingredients and their use in cosmetic products
  
• Understanding of ingredient function and classification within formulations
  
• Ability to interpret complex safety, listing, and adverse event data
  
• Strong technical writing and communication skills
  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with MoCRA (Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022), Cosmetics Direct, or FDA registration and listing programs
  
• Experience with FDA adverse event reporting systems or similar pharmacovigilance and safety databases
  
• Experience with data tools or methods used for product matching, data integration, or risk prioritization
  
• Prior experience supporting FDA or another federal regulatory agency
  
• PPO/HMO Health Plan (includes medical, dental, and vision)