Senior Cosmetics Chemist @ Actalent

Job Title: Senior Cosmetics ChemistJob DescriptionThe Senior Cosmetics Chemist leads bench formulation activities across both skincare and color cosmetics, driving the development, optimization, and commercialization of innovative products. This role collaborates closely with Research and Development and Marketing to create new formulas, refine existing products, and ensure technical excellence and regulatory compliance. The chemist also supports production, troubleshooting, and documentation to help achieve overall product and business objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative new skincare and color cosmetic formulations independently and in collaboration with the Marketing team.
• Lead reformulation projects and perform reverse engineering of existing products to improve performance, cost, or compliance.
• Support manufacturing by recommending production adjustments and troubleshooting out-of-specification (OOS) batches.
• Conduct stability and compatibility testing on new and reformulated products to ensure product integrity and shelf life.
• Generate and maintain compliance documentation, including ingredient lists and records for new raw materials.
• Apply working knowledge of FDA, cGMP, OSHA, and international cosmetic regulations in daily formulation and documentation activities.
• Oversee and guide a team of R&D laboratory technicians, providing technical direction and mentoring.
• Supervise pilot batch production runs and create clear, detailed mixing and processing directions for scale-up.
• Prepare product samples for photo shoots, marketing evaluations, and quality and safety testing.
• Meet regularly with Marketing to track product development timelines, deadlines, and launch dates.
• Collaborate with Purchasing to identify and qualify new raw material suppliers.
• Meet with raw material vendors to evaluate and select innovative ingredients and technologies for new product development.
• Attend seminars, trade shows, and industry events to stay current on emerging cosmetic technologies and trends.
• Demonstrate flexibility as a team player by taking on additional duties as needed to support business priorities.
• Learn and effectively use the companys computer-based inventory system for raw materials and finished goods.
• Utilize laboratory equipment such as weighing balances, viscometers, colloid mills, mixers, hot plates, homogenizers, and testing machines during formulation and testing activities.
• Contribute to research and development initiatives by proposing new concepts, methods, and technical improvements.
• Ensure all laboratory work adheres to safety standards and best practices.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor of Science in Chemistry or a closely related scientific discipline.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience in cosmetic product formulation, with a strong focus on color cosmetics.
• Demonstrated expertise across major makeup categories, including lipsticks, foundations, eye makeup, hot pours, emulsions, and suspensions.
• Hands-on experience with formulation development and optimization for both skincare and color cosmetics.
• Practical knowledge of FDA regulations, cGMP requirements, OSHA standards, and international cosmetic regulations.
• Proficiency in using laboratory equipment such as weighing balances, viscometers, colloid mills, mixers, hot plates, homogenizers, and testing machines.
• Strong research and development skills, including experimental design, data interpretation, and technical reporting.
• Creative problem-solving abilities with a track record of proactively identifying and proposing technical solutions.
• Ability to work effectively onsite in a laboratory and office environment as an essential function of the role.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills, with the ability to oversee and guide laboratory technicians.
• Effective communication skills for cross-functional collaboration with Marketing, Purchasing, and vendors.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience supervising pilot batches and creating detailed mixing and processing instructions for scale-up.
• Background in reverse engineering cosmetic products to understand composition and performance.
• Experience preparing samples for photo shoots, marketing presentations, and safety and quality testing.
• Comfort working with computer-based inventory systems and related laboratory or production software.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in partnership with Marketing and other internal teams.
• Interest in attending seminars and trade shows to continuously learn about new cosmetic ingredients and technologies.
• Contract-to-hire opportunity with the potential to transition to a long-term role with a well-established organization.

Work EnvironmentThis position is 100% onsite in a laboratory and office setting located in Westchester. The role requires daily hands-on work in an R&D lab, using equipment such as weighing balances, viscometers, colloid mills, mixers, hot plates, homogenizers, and testing machines. Standard work hours are full-time, with schedule options of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as needed. The environment is collaborative and fast-paced, with close interaction between R&D, Marketing, Purchasing, and external raw material vendors. Safety and regulatory compliance are integral to daily operations, and employees are expected to follow laboratory safety protocols and maintain a professional appearance suitable for an R&D and office setting.

Job Type & LocationThis is a Contract position based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Pay and BenefitsThe pay range for this position is $90000.00 - $110000.00/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

Medical, dental & vision

Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital

401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available

Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)

Short and long-term disability

Health Spending Account (HSA)

Transportation benefits

Employee Assistance Program

Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Application DeadlineThis position is anticipated to close on Nov 26, 2026.

Workplace TypeThis is a fully onsite position in Los Angeles,CA.About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.