Sr. Staff Scientist, Skin Care

Ashland Specialty Ingredients, GP

Are you the kind of person that is always thinking, sketching, seeking, and adjusting? Who needs to understand how things work and then figure out how they can work better? Are you a passionate, tenacious, solver who loves to work with others who share your drive? Are you positive, constructive, and ingenious?

Are you always solving?

Then we’d like to meet you and bet you’d like to meet us.

Ashland has an exciting opportunity for a Staff Scientist to join our Personal Care R&D business at our Bridgewater, New Jersey. This is a very visible, significant role within the Company and the R&D function. This position will report to the Global Skin Care R&D Manager, based in Bridgewater (NJ).

The responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Formulate prototypes of skin, sun care and color cosmetics products, from concept to launch
• Monitor stability of all batches and troubleshoot when necessary
• Work with support groups to drive projects forward
• Develop new technologies related to skin care
• Interface/collaborate with key customers
• Drive innovation within application projects to meet customer needs/market trends
• Evaluate pre-launch technologies for application
• Work closely with the Applied Research (synthesis) group to adapt proprietary technologies into aesthetically superior skin care products
• Present Ashland technologies to customers
• Develop methods to demonstrate raw material benefits
• Actively contribute to the organizational goals by taking initiative, executing on goals and focusing on performance and safety
• Improve the organization capacity and capabilities through building collaborative relationships, optimizing diverse talent and utilizing positive communications and influence with others

What This Role Is Not:

• Not an academic researcher - This position involves applied research with direct applications to products. It is not an opportunity to pursue a research agenda
• Not a management position – while you will collaborate with other team members, this is an individual contributor role with no direct reports
• Not an office based role – You will spend a majority of your time at the lab bench, conducting experiments and handling chemicals
• Not only about R&D – A large portion of your time will be dedicated to iterating on existing products and optimizing formulations based on customer feedback and performance data
• Not a project management position – The focus will be on the technical aspects of the project and we will need someone with specific chemical engineering knowledge to oversee the chemical process
• Not an entry level position – we need a candidate to hit the ground running with solid experience and a background to prove it

In order to be qualified for this role, you must possess the following:

• Minimum of 10 years’ hands-on formulation experience and track record of launching new products within the skin care market.
• M.S. in Chemistry or related field of study
• Must possess knowledge/experience in skin care applications
• Creative in developing novel prototypes to explore new skin care appliations/benefits
• Basic knowledge of chemistry, and consumer benefits of personal care raw materials
• Excellent communication skills, good work ethics and positive attitude.
• Good people skills and a self-starter
• Demonstrated responsible and ethical behavior at all times
• The ability to help the company drive greater value through understanding the business, making complex decisions and creating the new and different

The following skill sets are preferred by the business unit:

• BS minimum and MA/MS preferred in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Polymer/Materials Science, or related discipline.
• Experience formulating color cosmetics products

In more than 100 countries, the people of Ashland LLC. (NYSE: ASH) provide the specialty chemicals, technologies and insights to help customers create new and improved products for today and sustainable solutions for tomorrow. Our chemistry is at work every day in a wide variety of markets and applications, including architectural coatings, automotive, construction, energy, personal care and pharmaceutical. Visit www.ashland.com to see the innovations we offer.
 
At Ashland our vision is to be a leading, global specialty chemicals company whose inspired and engaged employees add value to all we touch. In fact our people, employees, customers and vendors define who we are. They are the driving force behind everything we do.
 
Not only do we value our customers but we value our employees, and we work to offer them a dynamic and challenging environment. We hold ourselves to high standards at Ashland, and we value integrity and honesty.
 
Ashland has a history of attracting the best people and keeping them. The reasons are simple: industry competitive salary and benefits, pay-for-performance incentive plans and a diverse work environment where employees feel challenged and valued. People come to Ashland and stay. As a growing Fortune 500 specialty chemicals company, we offer opportunities for development and advancement throughout our global organization. Our values define who we are and what we care about as a company. If you are looking for a relationship with a company instead of simply a job, this may be a great fit.

Ashland is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation. 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. NOTE:  We do not accept resumes from external staffing agencies or independent recruiters for any of our openings unless we have a signed recruiting agreement in place to fill a specific position.