Senior Cosmetics Chemist

JOB TITLE: Senior Cosmetic Chemist Leading manufacturer of skincare and color cosmetics is looking for a Senior chemist to join their R&D Team! Opportunity to expand your skillset within formulation and product development! 5+ years of cosmetics experience is required. What's in it for you:

- Join an industry leader in cosmetic manufacturing
- Work with skincare and color cosmetics
- Participate in new product development

REQUIREMENTS:

- 5+ years of cosmetics/skincare experience
- Experience with product formalation
- BS in Chemistry or relevant discipline

Summary: Senior Chemist position responsible for bench formulations in both Skincare and Color cosmetics. Work closely with the Director of Research and Development and Marketing to develop new products and methods. Perform other tasks as assigned to meet company objectives. Essential duties:

- Work on innovative new formulations, either independently or with the Marketing group.
- Responsible for reformulations and reverse engineering of products
- Help with production adjustments and troubleshooting of out of stock (OOS) batches
- Perform stability/compatibility tests on new and reformulated products
- Generate various compliance documents including ingredient lists and new raw materials
- Basic Knowledge of FDA, cGMP, OSHA and international cosmetic regulations
- Oversee a team of R&D Lab techs
- Supervise pilot batch products and create mixing directions
- Prepare samples for photo shoots and quality safety tests
- Meet with marketing to keep track of product deadlines and launch dates
- Help purchasing identify new raw material suppliers
- Meet with various raw material vendors to identify new innovative ingredients
- Attend seminars and trade shows to learn about new technologies
- Must be a team player and take on extra work duties in case there is a need
- Able to learn computer inventory system

Qualifications:

- Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and/or related science.
- 5+ experience in Cosmetic product formulation desired with a focus on color cosmetics.
- Strong background in all makeup categories: lipstick, foundations, eye makeup, hot pours, emulsions, and suspensions
- The individual must be familiar with the laboratory equipment such as Weighing balance, Viscometer, Colloid Mill, Mixer, Hot plate, Homogenizer, Testing machine, others.
- Creative problem-solver who can proactively identify and propose technical solutions.
- Ability to be onsite, in the office as this is an essential function of the position (required)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The 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)
Job Type & Location
This is a Contract position based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 24, 2026.
Workplace Type
This 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.