Sr. Scientist

Wella Company; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid holidays

Paid time off (PTO)

Job summary

Wella Company is seeking a Scientist or Senior Scientist in Product Development to join their OPI R&D organization. This hybrid role focuses on the end-to-end development of innovative nail products that combine consumer insights with technical solutions.

The ideal candidate will have experience in formulation development and a background in the beauty industry. A competitive salary range of $80,000 - $100,000 is offered, along with a robust benefits package.

Qualifications

• Previous formula & product development experience, preferably in the beauty industry.
• Passionate about nail category, able to generate insights from reviews and discussions.
• Strong ability to communicate and demo product superiority.

Responsibilities

• Drive formulation development and optimization for nail products.
• Validate formulation performance through structured testing plans.
• Compile testing data to support product claim substantiation.

Skills

Product development experience

Strong communication skills

Hands-on laboratory skills

Team player attitude

Process-oriented working style

Education

BS in chemistry, materials science, polymer science or related science

MS is a plus

Job description

Position Title: Scientist or Senior Scientist – Product Development

Location: Calabasas, California, USA (Hybrid 4 day on-site)

Reports to: OPI R&D DIRECTOR

Scope / Brands: OPI

About The Wella Company

Together, WE enable individuals to look, feel, and be their true selves.

Wella Company is one of the world’s leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders.

For additional information about the Wella Company please visit www.wellacompany.com.

THE ROLE

We are seeking a Scientist or Senior Scientist (depending on experience) to join our OPI R&D organization. This role will support end-to-end product development for nail products, translating consumer and professional insights into strong technical solutions and commercially successful innovations.

This is a hands‑on laboratory role, including batch formulation and performance testing. The individual will also build and deepen category expertise in nail products, supporting formula development, raw material screening and establishing robust technical understanding to guide future innovation.

You will partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Education, Insights, and external partners to define product requirements, develop formulation pathways, validate performance, and create compelling claims and demos for launch.

Key Responsibilities

End-to-End Product Development

• Drive formulation development and optimization for nail products
• Perform hands‑on lab work including batch making, formulation screening, and product evaluation
• Deliver reliable, accurate and reproducible data
• Accurately perform formula entry in SAP R&D systems, ensuring complete, current, and traceable formula data
• Validate formulation performance through structured testing plans and scorecards

Project & Technical Ownership

• Ensure on‑time technical readiness and quality delivery of projects in alignment with Stage‑Gate process
• Prepare technical documentation, including technical briefs, test plans, stability report, and claim substantiation
• Maintain accurate and organized laboratory records following Good Laboratory Practices (GLP)

Innovation & Technical Excellence

• Conduct competitive landscape assessments and stay current with emerging technologies
• Identify opportunities for performance improvement and new product concepts
• Screen and evaluate new raw materials and formulation approaches to enable innovation

Claims, Communication & Demo Development

• Compile testing data to support product claim in claim substantiation document
• Develop effective product demos and storytelling for internal and external stakeholders

Collaboration & External Partnerships

• Partner with Marketing, Education, Sensory, and Insights teams to support product launches
• Support strong working relationships with suppliers and TPMs

Ways of Working

• Demonstrate strong laboratory discipline, data integrity, and organization
• Exhibit ownership, agility, and a collaborative mindset
• Contribute to a positive work environment aligned with Wella values

Qualifications

Essential:

• BS in chemistry, materials science, polymer science or related science, MS is a plus.
• Previous formula & product development experience, in the beauty industry preferred.
• Passionate about nail category and able to generate product insights from online product reviews and focus group discussions.
• Strong communication and presentation skills to speak and demo product superiority to commercial teams.
• Process orientated working style.
• Hands on individual, GLP and organizational skills
• Team player and exhibit “can do” attitude, responding effectively to multiple demands.
• Able to work in a fast‑paced environment

Desirable:

• Experience in nail or color cosmetic formulas.
• Co‑development experience with third party manufacturer or external research labs.

We disclose the compensation range for positions in compliance with local law. Actual salaries will vary and may be above or below the range based on various factors including but not limited to location, experience, skills and in comparison to internal incumbents currently in similar roles. Pay Range: $80,000 - $100,000 salary per year. The range listed is just one component of Wella Company’s total rewards package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonus plan or variable pay, depending on the role. In addition, Wella Company provides a rich variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance, life and disability insurance, 401(k) retirement plan, paid holidays and paid time off (PTO).

NOTICES

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please email [e-mail] . This email account will not respond to inquiries regarding the status of a candidate’s application.

Qualified Applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.