
Senior Cosmetics Chemist
Los Angeles, CAContractSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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At a glance
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Requirements
Credentials this posting asks for.
Job overview
The Senior Cosmetics Chemist develops bench formulations for skincare and color cosmetics, working with Research and Development and Marketing on new products and methods. The role also covers reformulation, production troubleshooting, testing, compliance documentation, and oversight of R&D lab technicians. It is a contract position based in Los Angeles and requires onsite work.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Benefits
Full job description
Description
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: (Please note that the following description is not meant to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities and metrics, but to highlight some key ones). 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. 6+ 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)
Skills
Formulation, viscometer, cgmp, research & development, fda
Top Skills Details
Formulation,viscometer,cgmp,research & development,fda
Additional Skills & Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and/or related science. 6+ 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
Experience Level
Expert Level
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.
How this job compares
Set against the 1,463 open Research and Development jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 11, 2026.
- Pay
- This postingNot listed
- California median$124–195K/yr147 salary ranges
- California median$26–35/hr22 hourly ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 215 open Research and Development jobs in California and 1,463 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in California
- Terumo Neuro11 open
- Applied Materials10 open
- The Clorox Company7 open
- Experience
- Research and Development postings that state a minimum ask for 5 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 3 to 8 years (976 postings).
- Education
- This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 781 of the 1,463 open Research and Development jobs (53%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 11, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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