Associate Chemist (Powder Formulation)

Role details

At Revlon, we create beauty innovations for everyone that inspire confidence and ignite joy every day.

Breaking beauty boundaries is in our company’s DNA. Since its game-changing launch of the first opaque nail enamel in 1932 (and later, the first long-wear foundation), Revlon has provided consumers with high-quality product innovation, performance, and sophisticated glamour. Elizabeth Arden made waves as a woman-led beauty company in the 1920s. In 1931, Almay became the original hypoallergenic, fragrance-free beauty brand.

Today, Revlon resiliently continues its legacy as a leading global beauty company. Our diverse portfolio—which consists of some of the world’s most iconic brands and product offerings in color cosmetics, skincare, hair color & care, personal care, and fragrances—is sold around the world through prestige, professional, mass, and direct-to-consumer retail channels. These brands include Revlon, Revlon Professional, Elizabeth Arden, Almay, American Crew, CND, Cutex, Mitchum, Sinful Colors, Creme of Nature, Christina Aguilera, John Varvatos, Juicy Couture, Ed Hardy and more.

We honor our heritage, embrace change, and applaud diversity. We champion our employees and celebrate our consumers.

We are Revlon, together, transforming beauty.

This role is an Onsite Role

This role requires full-time presence at our Kenilworth, NJ office.

The Associate Chemist supports the development and commercialization of innovative color cosmetic powder products through a combination of hands-on in-house formulation and technical partnership with external manufacturers. The role supports products across pressed, loose, baked, slurry-based, and hybrid powder formats, as applicable, including face powders, blush, bronzer, highlighter, eyeshadow, and related complexion and eye products.

Working under the guidance of senior R&D personnel, the Associate Chemist applies cosmetic science, powder-processing principles, structured experimentation, and competitive and consumer insights to develop high-performing products from concept through commercialization. The individual partners closely with Marketing, Safety, Regulatory, Quality, Packaging, Manufacturing, Procurement, Innovation Operations, raw-material suppliers, and external development and manufacturing partners.

The successful candidate will combine hands-on laboratory capability with strong project ownership, technical curiosity, attention to color and sensory detail, and the ability to manage multiple internal and externally developed projects against defined performance, quality, cost, compliance, and timing requirements.

In-House Powder Formulation and Technical Development

• Develop and optimize pressed, loose, powder formulations under appropriate supervision.
• Prepare laboratory batches and prototypes using powder blending, milling, pulverization, binder incorporation, pressing, and other relevant processing techniques.
• Evaluate raw materials and formulation variables to understand their impact on shade, texture, payoff, adhesion, blend ability, press ability, wear, sensory properties, and product integrity.
• Execute structured experiments, maintain complete laboratory records, analyze results, and recommend technically sound next steps.
• Conduct shade development and shade-matching with attention to undertone, color consistency, coverage, finish, and performance across intended applications and skin tones.
• Identify and troubleshoot issues including glazing, cracking, chipping, dusting, hard pan, insufficient payoff, poor pan adhesion, shade variability, and processing inconsistency.
• Translate product briefs, competitive benchmarks, trend insights, and consumer needs into measurable formulation and performance targets.
• Evaluate competitive launches and emerging powder technologies, document findings and identifying opportunities for differentiated product performance.

External Development and Manufacturer Partnership

• Serve as the R&D technical contact for assigned products developed with external contract manufacturers.
• Translate technical briefs, including formula, shade, sensory, performance, testing, quality, regulatory, cost, and timing expectations.
• Critically evaluate external prototypes, formula disclosures, raw-material information, test data, specifications, to Revlon Standard Protocols
• Provide clear and actionable technical feedback to external partners and track prototype revisions against agreed product targets.
• Coordinate the collection and review of required safety, regulatory, quality, claims, technical, and ingredient documentation.
• Identify & escalate technical and commercialization risks early, communicate those risks to project stakeholders, and support development of practical mitigation plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with external manufacturers, suppliers, and technology partners while ensuring company technical and quality expectations are met.

Knowledge & Skills Required

• Knowledge of basic principles of cosmetic science.
• Ability to apply interpersonal skills to resolve routine problems.
• Ability to conceptualize and apply innovative solutions
• B.S. in Chemistry or related discipline plus 0-3 years of experience.
• Strong organizational skills a must.
• Basic understanding of powder technology & R&D workflow
• Willingness to take ownership and accountability to drive projects forward in a timely and efficient manner.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Minimum Requirements

• B.S. Chemistry or related science
• 0-3 years of experience

Revlon is unable to sponsor or transfer employment visas for this role; candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future visa support. The base pay range for this position is $66,000.00 - $80,000.00 / year; however base pay offered may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge, and geographic location. Certain positions may also be eligible for short-term incentives as part of total compensation.

Employees (and their families) are eligible for medical, dental, and vision benefits. Employees are covered by the company-paid basic life insurance policy and company-paid short-term disability insurance (the benefit commences upon hire and allows for a portion of base salary for up to 26 weeks if you are disabled). Other benefits offered to employees include but are not limited to the following: long-term disability, supplemental life insurances, flexible spending accounts, critical illness insurance, group legal, identity theft protection, etc. Employees are also able to enroll in our 401k Retirement Savings Plan.

Employees will also receive 3 weeks of vacation, pro-rated based on date of hire for the 1st year of employment and twelve paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Vacation will depend on role.

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