Sr. R&D Chemist

Kelly Science & Clinical has an immediate opening for a Senior R&D Chemist for our growing client near Chicago, IL

Full-time

Direct Hire

Salary: $90,000-$110,000

Join a Creative, Science-Driven Team That's Shaping the Future of Beauty & Personal Care

We're seeking an experienced Senior R&D Chemist to help bring cutting-edge health, beauty, and personal care products to life. In this role, you'll lead the end-to-end formulation processfrom concept through scale-upand collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure every product not only meets but exceeds expectations in quality, safety, and innovation.

This is a dynamic opportunity for a passionate chemist who thrives on developing innovative formulas, solving complex technical challenges, and playing a key role in bringing market-ready products to customers.

What You'll Do:

• Formulate and develop skin care, hair care, and other personal care products using advanced emulsion and surfactant systems.
• Revise, improve, and reformulate existing products and conduct reverse engineering of competitive benchmarks.
• Support all stages of product development: lab batching, stability testing, pilot batches, production scale-ups, and tech transfers.
• Maintain accurate documentation and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Conduct analytical testing (pH, viscosity, specific gravity, solids %) and sensory evaluation to ensure formulation success.
• Collaborate directly with marketing, sales, and customers to interpret briefs, present samples, and translate feedback into action.
• Research and recommend new ingredients, raw materials, and suppliers.
• Lead or contribute to process improvements, cost-saving initiatives, and continuous innovation in formulation science.

What We're Looking For:

Education & Background

• BS or MS in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Material Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of hands-on formulation experience in personal care, health & beauty, or cosmetic product development.

Technical Skills & Experience

• Strong expertise in emulsions, surfactants, and ingredient compatibility.
• Experience in lab-to-production scale-up, including writing and reviewing master batch records.
• Familiarity with US and EU cosmetic regulations and stability testing protocols.
• Bench testing knowledge including pH, viscosity, specific gravity, and solids.
• Experience with reverse engineering and troubleshooting out-of-spec batches.
• Proficient with cosmetic lab equipment (e.g., viscometer, pH meter, pycnometer, moisture analyzer).
• Strong computer skills: Excel, Word, PowerPoint.

Preferred Extras

• Experience with color cosmetics or household/cleaning products is a plus.
• Background in customer-facing product development or marketing collaboration.
• Familiarity with SAP or similar ERP tools is beneficial.

Who You Are:

• A detail-oriented, innovative thinker who thrives in the lab.
• Comfortable juggling multiple projects with competing priorities.
• A strong communicator who enjoys collaborating across teams.
• A problem-solver who loves finding solutions, not just identifying issues.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to lift up to 40 lbs.
• Must be comfortable alternating between sitting, standing, and moving throughout the lab and production areas.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a collaborative, fast-moving, and innovative product development team.
• Enjoy the opportunity to work on a variety of new product launches and client-driven projects.
• Work in a company culture that values science, creativity, and quality equally.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Number of successful new product submissions and launches
• Number of tech transfers scaled up to production
• Qualified alternate raw materials implemented
• Resolved QC/formulation issues
• Documented process improvements based on root cause analysis

Want to make a real impact in the personal care industry through science and creativity? Apply now and let's build the future of beautytogether.

As part of our promise to talent, Kelly supports those who work with us through a variety of benefits, perks, and work-related resources. Kelly offers eligible employees voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability. As a Kelly employee, you will have access to a retirement savings plan, service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year), and a transit spending account. In addition, employees are entitled to earn paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan. Click here for more information on benefits and perks that may be available to you as a member of the Kelly Talent Community.

Why Kelly Science & Clinical?

Kelly Science & Clinical is your connection to premier scientific and clinical companies looking to hire industry experts just like you. Our team creates expert talent solutions to solve the world's most critical challenges. Every day, we match science professionals with dream jobs that fit their skills, interests, and career goalsit's the way we think job searching should be. Nearly 100 percent of our science recruiters have a professional background and education in science, so we know a thing or two about the science market and how to get your expertise noticed.

About Kelly

Work changes everything. And at Kelly, we're obsessed with where it can take you. To us, it's about more than simply accepting your next job opportunity. It's the fuel that powers every next step of your life. It's the ripple effect that changes and improves everything for your family, your community, and the world. Which is why, here at Kelly, we are dedicated to providing you with limitless opportunities to enrich your lifejust ask the 300,000 people we employ each year.

Kelly is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and we take affirmative action to recruit, employ, and advance qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in the workforce. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to the Kelly Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California's state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment. Kelly participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.