Hair Color Chemist

John Paul Mitchell Systems • Santa Clarita, CA

73d • $85,000 - $95,000 • Onsite

About The Position

John Paul Mitchell Systems (JPMS) is seeking a Hair Color Chemist to join their R&D color team. This role will support the formulation, optimization, and evaluation of high-performance professional hair color products. It is a hands-on bench role for a scientist with technical depth in color chemistry, curiosity for formulation, and the discipline to execute in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment. The Hair Color Chemist will work closely with the Principal Hair Color Chemist to develop shade palettes, optimize formulas, execute performance and stability testing, and support manufacturing scale-up. The ideal candidate will understand oxidative systems, developer chemistry, and alkalizing agents, approaching formulation with scientific rigor and an uncompromising eye for quality. This role is fully onsite at the Santa Clarita lab and requires up to 10% travel.

Requirements

• Solid understanding of cosmetic chemistry fundamentals: polymers, conditioning systems, emulsions, rheology modifiers, and surfactants
• Experience transferring formulas from lab scale to manufacturing, with an understanding of critical process parameters
• Working knowledge of global cosmetic regulations (US and EU)
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with strong attention to detail and follow-through
• Clear communicator — able to present technical findings and test results clearly to cross-functional stakeholders
• Collaborative and team-oriented; comfortable working closely with senior chemists and cross-functional partners
• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field required
• 3+ years of hands-on laboratory formulation experience in hair color, hair care or color cosmetics

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on formulation experience in hair color development — strongly preferred; experience with oxidative dye systems, semi-permanent dyes, alkalizing agents, bleaching chemistry, developers, and tone control technologies
• Experience in professional salon brands or with salon-channel products
• Experience supporting global launches or working across multi-market regulatory frameworks
• Familiarity with the professional salon market and awareness of consumer and stylist needs and expectations
• Exposure to color cosmetics or adjacent beauty categories
• Master's degree preferred

Responsibilities

• Formulate and optimize professional hair color products — permanent, demi/semi-permanent, lighteners, and developers — from bench development through scale-up support
• Develop shade palettes, tones, and coverage levels based on project briefs, stylist feedback, and competitive benchmarks
• Prepare and manage lab batches, maintaining accurate formulas, records, and version control throughout the development process
• Plan and execute performance, stability, and compatibility testing; analyze results and recommend formula improvements based on data
• Investigate formulation and manufacturing issues, identifying root causes and implementing solutions grounded in technical evidence
• Evaluate and select raw materials within established platforms, balancing safety, regulatory, cost, and performance requirements; collaborate with suppliers as needed
• Maintain complete and accurate technical documentation, including formulas, batch records, test reports, and change documentation
• Partner with Marketing, Education, Regulatory, Quality, Operations, and Manufacturing to support product delivery against performance, claims, cost, and timeline objectives
• Support manufacturing scale-up by documenting critical process parameters and providing on-call technical guidance during production
• Provide technical support for regulatory submissions, safety assessments, claims substantiation, and internal product inquiries
• Support stylist and salon testing programs, capturing consumer and stylist feedback and translating it into actionable formulation improvements
• Contribute to product usage instructions, education materials, and application best practices from a formulation standpoint
• Ensure compliance with cosmetic regulations, company standards, and laboratory safety procedures
• Stay current on hair color technologies, ingredient innovations, and competitive products; continuously deepen expertise in hair fiber science and color chemistry

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision, life, accident, critical illness, and disability insurance
• retirement savings plans and company match
• paid family leave
• education-related programs
• paid holidays
• discretionary vacation time

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level