Sr. Research Scientist, Sunscreen

Revance • Johnson City, TN

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Research Scientist, Sunscreen is responsible for leading the development of innovative skincare and personal care formulations from concept through commercialization within the Formulation Sciences organization. This role serves as a technical subject matter expert in formulation chemistry and partners cross-functionally to deliver products that meet quality, performance, regulatory, and business objectives. The position will lead formulation activities, support scale-up efforts, mentor junior team members, and drive innovation, while operating within a highly collaborative matrix environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree & 5+ years’ directly related experience.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• 5-8 years’ experience in cosmetic, personal care, OTC, toiletries, or hair care formulation development.
• Advanced knowledge of emulsion and surfactant chemistry.
• Expertise in sunscreen and cosmetic formulation technologies.
• Strong expertise in formulation science with demonstrated experience developing products from concept through commercialization.
• Experience with experimental design, scientific problem-solving, and data-driven decision making.
• Working knowledge of cosmetic ingredients and formulation technologies.
• Familiarity with cosmetic and/or OTC regulatory requirements and current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
• Experience supporting product scale-up and manufacturing transfer activities.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a highly matrixed environment.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead formulation development activities for skincare, cosmetic, OTC, personal care, and related products from concept through commercialization.
• Serve as a technical expert in emulsion and surfactant chemistry with advanced expertise in sunscreen and cosmetic formulations.
• Design, execute, analyze, and interpret scientific experiments and studies to support formulation development and optimization.
• Evaluate and incorporate new ingredients, technologies, and industry trends to support innovation initiatives and continuous improvement.
• Modify and optimize existing formulations to address changing regulatory requirements, improve product performance, and drive cost efficiencies.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with ingredient suppliers and external technical partners to support development activities.
• Partner closely with Process Development and Manufacturing teams to support formulation scale-up and technology transfer activities.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams including R&D, Regulatory, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and Commercial partners.
• Apply understanding of intellectual property strategy, including patent review and basic patent search methodologies, during product development efforts.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior scientists and team members.
• Manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously while meeting established timelines and deliverables.
• Document research activities, experimental findings, and technical conclusions clearly and accurately.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation including base salary and annual performance bonus.
• Flexible PTO, holidays, and parental leave.
• Generous healthcare benefits, HSA match, 401k match, employer paid life and disability insurance, pet insurance, wellness discounts and much more!

What This Job Offers

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