Lead R&D efforts for clean skincare products, oversee formulation processes, manage testing and regulatory compliance, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
Join our fast-growing beauty brand and become a fundamental member of our expanding team. We are looking for a savvy, passionate Senior Director of R&D who is excited about innovating clean skincare products! The ideal candidate has a passion for creating effective, planet-friendly products, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and shares our commitment to wellness in both our products and work-life balance. Our mission is to create effective, results-driven skincare that is safe for the planet and humankind.
Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with external laboratories to direct and troubleshoot formulation processes, ensuring alignment with our brand's standards and objectives.
- Develop proprietary ingredients and blends to substantiate specific claims, enhancing the efficacy and appeal of our product offerings.
- Assist the Product Development Team in conceptualizing new products and drafting detailed Product Development Requests (PDRs) from a technical standpoint.
- Provide technical insights on ingredients and formulations to support the creation of comprehensive product information and compelling marketing narratives.
- Compose strategic rationales for ingredient selection and technologies, which may be utilized in consumer-facing communications to explain the inclusion or exclusion of certain ingredients.
- Oversee and manage all standard Research & Development (R&D) testing procedures and associated budgets.
- Coordinate Over-the-Counter (OTC) testing for applicable products, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
- Manage clinical claims testing and associated budgets to validate product efficacy claims.
- Ensure meticulous documentation and maintenance of all product files, emphasizing the importance of thorough record-keeping in R&D.
- Review all formulations to ensure compliance with our stringent formulating guidelines during development and upon final approval.
- Regularly update and maintain our formulation guidelines, conducting annual reviews to ensure they reflect current standards and practices.
- Manage reformulation projects in collaboration with contract manufacturers to improve or update existing products.
- Examine marketing copy for potential regulatory issues before final regulatory assessments.
- Engage with raw material suppliers to source innovative ingredient options for new product development and maintain an organized product ingredient library.
- Conduct and lead weekly meetings with the Regulatory team to ensure ongoing compliance and address any emerging issues.
- Assist Regulatory Consultants in achieving compliance with the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) and in managing international product registrations.
- Support Regulatory Consultants with WERCS (Waste and Environmental Regulatory Compliance Systems) registration processes.
- Attend and approve pilot runs and initial production batches of new products and reformulations, with some travel required to manufacturing sites.
- Collaborate with the Quality Director to address and resolve any quality-related issues that arise.
- Develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as necessary to streamline processes and ensure consistency.
- Serve as the technical representative of our brand both internally and, when necessary, externally.
- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of formulation experience in personal care products, preferably skincare formulations.
- Strong understanding of cosmetic formulation and manufacturing processes.
- Knowledge of current beauty industry trends and customer preferences.
- Excellent project management skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
- Strong problem-solving abilities.
- Attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
- Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (oral, written, non-verbal, intuitive, psychic, et al).
- Must be willing to fall in love with our products, meditate with our team, and have fun while we work!
Base Salary Range: $130,000-$185,000 per year (Actual compensation depends on factors like experience, skill level, and location).
- Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Plan (401k)
- Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Company Holidays)
- Parental Leave
- Training & Development
- Work From Home
- Wellness Resources
Top Skills
Cosmetic Formulation
Ingredient Selection
Product Development
R&D Testing Procedures
Regulatory Compliance
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