R & D PERSONAL CARE CHEMIST II

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Strong formulation skills and ability to independently develop personal care products sold by NOW Health Group. This includes developing and formulating products using diverse ingredients for new products and improving existing ones. Has experience working with personal care ingredients and strong knowledge of their functions, formulating emulsions and surfactant-based products. Troubleshoots and addresses any formula challenges.
• Supports in-house and contract manufacturing by providing technical information and troubleshooting when corrective action is required to increase efficiencies, rectify production deviations, resolve quality problems, and work out production difficulties. Supporting manufacturing includes working directly in processing rooms, packaging lines, raw materials, equipment, and packaging. Helps address complaints and issues. Responds to questions and inquiries related to personal care.
• Works directly with Purchasing, Quality Assurance, and Quality Control by evaluating new ingredients, ingredients out of specification, and alternate vendor ingredients. Helps evaluate and support contract manufacturers, where appropriate.
• Obtains information related to research and development, including raw material functions, characteristics, processing techniques, environmental conditions, and regulatory compliance.
• Organizes resources to complete projects based on meeting profitability objectives, company deadlines, operating budget responsibilities, and research and development departmental goals.
• Coordinates and tracks all personal care-related physical, microbiological, chemical, stability testing, and packaging testing. Reviews and reports results to appropriate departments and/or individuals.
• Works directly with Marketing to focus on learning customer expectations and developing new personal care products that meet their needs and market trends for skin care.
• Develops ingredients and formulation specifications. Creates additional documents that are related to these ingredients and formulation development. Inputs information into Oracle through bill of materials, specifications, and manufacturing instructions.
• Sets up sensory evaluation testing, including screening and assigning panelists. Prepares samples, communicates with panelists, collates, analyzes, reports, and interprets data. Reports results to appropriate departments and/or individuals with the decision to proceed as is or continue development work.
• Evaluates equipment and processes used in the development, evaluation, and production of products at NOW and contract manufacturers. Implements changes as needed to maximize efficiency, efficacy, and accuracy of new and existing product introductions.
• Designs and revises manufacturing processes, determining where improvements in product quality can contribute to the company's success.

• Identifies and documents critical parameters pertaining to approved formulas to reproduce results on a full-scale production basis.
• Completes and evaluates product documentation packages for final review by appropriate managers.
• Communicates formula requirements and assists other departments, including Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Science, Regulatory, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, and Engineering.
• Maintains R&D lab/office area in safe, clean, and orderly conditions.
• Complies with safety and GMP requirements.

SAFETY RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT

Supports a culture of safe laboratory operations and exhibits safe work practices. Actively participates in the safety program by engaging in safety activities. Effectively provides and accepts constructive peer-to-peer feedback on safety performance. Adheres to policies, procedures, SOP's, safe work practices, and safety policies and procedures. Reports ALL workplace incidents to the supervisor immediately. Communicates concerns to supervisor, reports hazards, and provides input on prevention. Properly uses, wears, and stores Personal Protective Equipment when required. Participates in safety team activities and/or completes safety-related activities as part of regular job responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Required: The minimum requirements for this position include a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry or a related field and a minimum of five years of related experience. Strong preference will be given to candidates with experience in personal care formulation.
• Preferred: Master of Science degree in Chemistry or a related field and a minimum of five years of related experience in personal care product formulation.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Strong and effective communication and collaboration skills. Ability to read and interpret documents and manuals/instructions. Ability to draft routine reports and correspondence.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability, statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, averages, ratios, proportions, and the metric system to practical situations.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with various concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret various instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Office, Word, and Excel.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Good organization skills, ability to multi-task, and managing time.
• Ability to learn quickly, work independently, and assume responsibility for new tasks in a rapidly growing and changing company.
• Self-starter and be able to handle multiple tasks.
• Strong attention to detail skills.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills.
• Ability to work extended hours to support the business, including off shifts and weekends.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of the job, the employee is regularly required to be handle testing equipment, raw materials and finished product, tools, lifting items/raw material containers up to 20 lbs., or controls and communicate in person and on the telephone. The employee will regularly taste or smell and ascend and/or descend stairs. The employee will be required to move from place to place within the NOW facility.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered by an employee while performing the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, including while working in the R&D Lab, the employee regularly works near moving mechanical parts and with blending equipment.

The employee is regularly exposed to herbal aromas, dust, and/or airborne particles, some classified as allergens or irritants, will come into direct exposure to ingredients (powders and liquids), mixes (powders and liquids), equipment, and packaging. Regularly exposed to FDA designated major food allergens (Milk, Eggs, Fish, Crustacean shellfish (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp), Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans), Wheat and Soybeans, except for peanuts.

Hearing protection is required and provided to areas where the noise level can be elevated.

2025 BENEFITS AT A GLANCE

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.
For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.