R&D Formulation Manager

Job Title: R&D Formulation Manager

Job Description

As the Manager of R&D Formulation, you will lead the day-to-day operations of the formulation lab and manage a team of chemists and technicians dedicated to developing personal care products, including skincare, haircare, and oral care. You will oversee project execution across various categories, manage lab operations, and ensure formulation readiness from initial brief to customer delivery. You will serve as the crucial link between lab execution and strategic innovation by supporting customer projects, managing testing documentation, and driving lab-based initiatives such as safety and sustainability.

Responsibilities

• Direct lab activities and supervise a team of chemists and technicians across multiple personal care categories.
• Lead onboarding and formulation briefing of new project wins across skin, hair, and oral care.
• Manage staffing, workload balancing, and team productivity across active and upcoming projects.
• Serve as the Lab Safety Lead to ensure compliance with internal protocols and regulatory safety standards.
• Act as Waste Management Lead, overseeing proper handling, labeling, and disposal of lab-generated waste in line with environmental and corporate policies.
• Resolve day-to-day lab issues, resource constraints, and equipment troubleshooting.
• Guide the development of formulas aligned with innovation strategy, customer requirements, and technical feasibility.
• Manage the Formula Lock process, confirming stability, performance, required testing completion, and documentation.
• Ensure accuracy and consistency across lab notebooks, development reports, and batch records.
• Design and maintain formulations to support trend decks and marketing initiatives, including sample creation and stability testing.
• Support customer calls on active development projects as the technical lead by providing updates, addressing questions, and capturing feedback.
• Partner with Sales, Project Management, and Regulatory to align on timelines, technical expectations, and documentation needs.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing and Quality to support successful tech transfer and scale-up activities.
• Execute innovation strategies set by the Vice President of Innovation by translating concepts into stable, tested prototypes.
• Attend ingredient presentations and vendor meetings to identify materials for current or future projects.
• Maintain a dynamic library of trend-forward formulations across categories to support brand growth and concept pitching.
• Maintain lab equipment, inventory, and workflows for efficient operation.
• Track lab spending and ensure adherence to operational budgets.
• Collaborate with the Director of R&D on process improvements and lab capability enhancements.

Essential Skills

• Formulation expertise in personal care products.
• Experience in research and development, specifically in new product development.
• Strong background in chemistry.
• Proven track record in managing technical teams and delivering commercially successful formulations.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemistry, Biology, Chemical Engineering, or related scientific field.
• 7-10 years of formulation experience in personal care products, preferably in a contract manufacturing or brand R&D setting.

Work Environment

The role involves managing a dynamic formulation lab, where you will utilize state-of-the-art equipment and collaborate with cross-functional teams. The work environment encourages innovation and requires strict adherence to safety and regulatory standards. You will engage with external vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure the successful execution of projects, all while maintaining a focus on sustainability and operational efficiency.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Mainland, PA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $120000.00 - $135000.00/yr.

Aetna Medical, dental and vision - 401K with match and pet insurance 2 weeks PTO plus company paid holidays

Workplace Type

This is a hybrid position in Mainland,PA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 7, 2026.

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 actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com 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.