Cosmetic Formulation Chemist (R&D)

Role Summary

Develop and optimize formulations for personal care products (e.g., shampoo, face wash, body wash, conditioners). The role involves lab-scale development, stability testing, raw material evaluation, troubleshooting, and supporting scale-up/tech transfer to manufacturing while ensuring quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop new formulations and improve existing products for performance, cost, and sensory (foam, feel, fragrance, viscosity, clarity).
• Plan and execute lab batches; select surfactants, thickeners, conditioners, preservatives, humectants, and actives.
• Conduct and document stability studies (heat/cool, freeze–thaw, accelerated, real-time), compatibility with packaging, and product performance tests.
• Measure and adjust pH, viscosity, appearance, odor, foam, density, and other key QC parameters.
• Troubleshoot issues like separation, hazing, thinning/thickening, color change, microbial risk, or fragrance instability.
• Evaluate and approve new raw materials; coordinate with suppliers for samples/technical data.
• Prepare and maintain formulation & development documentation: BOM, batch sheets, SOPs, lab notebooks, test reports.
• Support scale-up from lab to pilot/production: process optimization, mixing order, temperature/time, shear/homogenization.
• Work with QA/QC for microbial and preservative efficacy testing planning (PET where applicable) and specification setting.
• Coordinate with marketing/sales for brief understanding and claim support (e.g., anti-dandruff feel, oil-control feel) with realistic technical feasibility.
• Ensure good lab practices, safety, and proper handling/storage of chemicals.

Products You’ll Work On (examples)

• Shampoo / anti-dandruff shampoo
• Face wash / foaming cleanser
• Body wash / hand wash
• Conditioner / hair serum (optional)
• Creams/lotions (optional)

Required Skills & Knowledge

• Strong understanding of surfactant systems, solubilization, rheology modifiers, emulsifiers, preservatives, and pH adjustment.
• Hands-on lab skills: weighing, mixing, heating/cooling, homogenization, viscosity measurement, pH meters.
• Familiarity with common personal care ingredients and their interactions (electrolytes, polymers, salts, fragrances).
• Good documentation and data interpretation skills.
• Basic knowledge of Indian cosmetics regulatory expectations and labeling (working with QA/Regulatory).

Education

• B.Sc / M.Sc in Chemistry / Pharmaceutical Chemistry / Cosmetic Science / Biochemistry
• (B.Pharm / M.Pharm also acceptable)

Preferred (Nice to Have)

• Experience in shampoo/cleansers formulation.
• Exposure to BIS/ISO methods, GMP/GLP documentation.
• Experience with pilot trials / tech transfer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: ₹304,559.40 - ₹1,524,301.26 per year

Benefits:

• Food provided

Work Location: In person