Development Chemist in Peterborough, Werrington

About Hera Beauty Ltd. Hera Beauty is a growing UK manufacturer of skincare, haircare, CBD and wellbeing products, based in Peterborough. Since 2011, we have worked with personal care brands across the UK, providing an end to end manufacturing service covering formulation, compliance, packaging and account management. Our aim is to make it easier for our customers to bring great products to market. We are known for being flexible, responsive and innovative, with a strong focus on quality and long term partnerships. As the business continues to grow, we are investing in our people, our processes and the way we work. We want Hera Beauty to be a place where people can develop, take ownership and make a real contribution to the success of the business.

We are now looking for a Development Chemist to join our R&D team and play an important role in developing innovative products for both our customers and our own product portfolio.

The Role of Development Chemist

As a Development Chemist, you will be responsible for developing high quality skincare, haircare and personal care formulations from initial concept through to launch. You will work on a variety of customer and internal development projects, interpreting briefs, creating and refining formulations, preparing samples and supporting products through testing, scale up and manufacture. This is a hands on role suited to someone with a relevant scientific degree who has a genuine passion for product development, enjoys working in the lab and is confident taking ownership of projects. You will be proactive, use your initiative and work collaboratively with Sales, Quality, Production, suppliers and other members of the R&D team to ensure projects move forward effectively and meet customer, regulatory and commercial requirements. You will also keep up to date with new ingredients, technologies and market trends, helping Hera Beauty continue to develop innovative and commercially relevant products.

As a Development Chemist, you will:

• Develop high quality and innovative skincare, haircare and personal care formulations in response to customer and internal briefs
• Manage multiple New Product Development projects from initial concept through to launch
• Interpret customer briefs and develop formulations that meet performance, cost and commercial requirements
• Work closely with the Sales team to provide formulation proposals, samples and technical support within agreed timescales
• Prepare, assess and refine product samples for prospective and existing customers
• Coordinate third-party product testing submissions and respond to testing queries
• Work closely with the R&D and Quality teams to ensure formulations meet ingredient, regulatory and quality requirements
• Research new ingredients, technologies, market trends and product launches to identify development opportunities
• Build strong relationships with suppliers to obtain raw materials, samples, technical information and commercial support
• Support the sourcing and evaluation of new raw materials
• Work closely with Production and Operations to support laboratory scale up trials and the successful transfer of formulations into manufacture
• Provide technical support when formulation or production challenges arise during scale up and manufacture
• Contribute to private label development projects and the growth of our in-house formulation library
• Maintain accurate formulation, testing and development records
• Help develop and maintain effective laboratory procedures and best practices
• Support continuous improvement across R&D and the wider product development process
• Make sure laboratory standards, procedures and Health & Safety requirements are consistently followed

As a Development Chemist, you’ll bring:

• A degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science or another relevant scientific subject
• Experience developing formulations within cosmetics, personal care or a related industry
• A genuine interest in skincare, haircare, personal care and product development
• Practical laboratory and formulation experience
• The ability to take ownership of development projects and manage several priorities at the same time
• Good problem-solving skills and a practical, solutions-focused approach
• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to producing high-quality work
• Good communication and organisational skills
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a wider team
• Confidence working with colleagues across Sales, Quality, Production and other areas of the business
• A proactive approach and the confidence to take initiative
• An understanding of formulation testing, stability and product development processes

Experience within cosmetics, skincare, haircare, toiletries or another regulated product development environment would be a strong advantage. Experience supporting formulations through scale up and manufacture, working with third party testing laboratories or developing private label products would also be useful. Applicants must hold a degree in Chemistry, Cosmetic Science or another relevant scientific subject to be considered for this role. Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship.