Innovations Cosmetic Chemist–Personal Care R&D

Rhyz, Inc•Draper, UT

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Wasatch Labs is seeking an Innovations Cosmetic Chemist for Personal Care R&D. This role involves leading the design, formulation, and testing of innovative personal care prototypes across various categories. The ideal candidate will identify and evaluate new ingredients and technologies, translate innovation opportunities into client-ready prototypes, and stay current with industry advancements. The position also requires leveraging AI-enabled tools for research and optimization, conducting various tests, maintaining documentation, and presenting innovation concepts. A key aspect of this role is developing engaging, compliant content for professional and digital channels, ensuring alignment with company policies. Collaboration with R&D and scale-up teams is essential for transitioning prototypes into production-ready formulas.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Cosmetic Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related field.
5+ years of hands-on formulation experience in personal care or cosmetic product development.
Proven ability to independently develop and troubleshoot complex systems, including emulsions, surfactant systems, gels, suspensions, and anhydrous formulations.
Strong technical expertise in actives, rheology modifiers, preservation systems, and sensory optimization.
Demonstrated creativity and innovation in product development, ideally in a fast-paced or contract manufacturing environment.
Working knowledge of key industry trends (e.g., clean beauty, biotech actives, microbiome-friendly formulations, sustainability, multifunctional systems).
Experience using digital and AI-assisted tools for research, trend analysis, or formulation development.
Experience contributing to or creating professional scientific or innovation-focused content (e.g., LinkedIn posts, technical explainers, short-form videos), with sound judgment on confidentiality and brand representation.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for both technical and non-technical audiences.
Highly organized and self-directed, with the ability to manage multiple projects and adapt in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

Lead the design, formulation, and testing of innovative personal care prototypes across skin, hair, body, and specialty categories.
Identify and evaluate emerging ingredients, technologies, and formulation approaches aligned with global market trends and customer needs.
Partner with marketing and business development to translate innovation opportunities into differentiated, client-ready prototypes.
Stay current on supplier capabilities, raw material launches, and sustainability advancements within the cosmetic and personal care industry.
Leverage AI-enabled tools for research, data analysis, ingredient selection, and formulation optimization.
Design and execute stability, performance, and sensory testing; analyze results and iterate formulations efficiently.
Maintain accurate, compliant documentation of formulations, test data, and development insights.
Present innovation concepts internally and externally, clearly communicating technical benefits, claims, and differentiation.
Develop engaging, compliant innovation content for professional and digital channels (e.g., LinkedIn), including technical storytelling and visual demonstrations (textures, before/after, lab insights).
Ensure all external content aligns with company policies on confidentiality, branding, and regulatory compliance.
Collaborate with R&D and scale-up teams to transition successful prototypes into commercially viable, production-ready formulas.