Research And Development Manager

Company overview:

PEP is a dynamic personal care company that proudly houses two innovative brands mCaffeine & Hyphen. With a passion for creating high-performance, conscious, and consumer-loved products, we are redefining the way personal care is experienced. While mCaffeine is Indias first caffeinated personal care brand, loved for its energizing and playful approach, Hyphen is built on the philosophy of simplifying skincare through science-backed formulations. Together, our brands reflect PEPs mission to deliver quality, creativity, and care to millions of consumers. We believe in Confidence over all skin & body biases.

Come, join the pack!

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and innovation-driven R&D Manager with strong expertise in cosmetic and personal care formulations. The ideal candidate will have extensive hands-on laboratory experience and a proven ability to develop, optimize, and commercialize formulations across beauty, personal care, cosmetics, and haircare categories.

The role involves leading product development initiatives, managing laboratory operations, ensuring regulatory compliance, and driving innovation aligned with market trends and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Formulation

• Lead end-to-end product development from concept to commercialization.
• Develop and optimize formulations for skincare, haircare, and cosmetic products (creams, lotions, serums, shampoos, conditioners, gels, etc.).
• Conduct stability testing, compatibility studies, and performance evaluations.
• Troubleshoot formulation challenges and improve existing products.
• Ensure products meet sensory, efficacy, cost, and quality benchmarks.

Laboratory Management

• Oversee day-to-day laboratory operations and ensure proper documentation.
• Maintain lab equipment, raw material inventory, and safety compliance.
• Ensure adherence to GLP, GMP, and internal quality standards.
• Manage pilot batches and support scale-up for manufacturing.

Regulatory & Compliance

• Ensure formulations comply with local and international cosmetic regulations.
• Review ingredient documentation, safety data sheets, and regulatory requirements.
• Support product registrations and claims substantiation processes.

Innovation & Market Trends

• Track emerging ingredients, technologies, and consumer trends.
• Evaluate and introduce innovative raw materials and actives.
• Collaborate with Marketing to translate consumer insights into new product concepts.
• Drive sustainable, clean beauty, and performance-based innovations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Production, Procurement, QA/QC, and Marketing teams.
• Support technology transfer from lab scale to commercial production.
• Coordinate with vendors and raw material suppliers for technical evaluations.

Team Leadership

• Lead and mentor R&D chemists and lab staff.
• Set performance objectives and monitor team productivity.
• Promote a culture of innovation, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Cosmetic Science, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or related field.
• 68+ years of R&D experience in beauty, personal care, cosmetics, or haircare industry.
• Strong formulation expertise in emulsions, surfactant systems, actives incorporation, and stability enhancement.
• Hands-on laboratory experience with formulation trials and scale-up processes.
• Knowledge of cosmetic regulatory standards and compliance requirements.
• Prior experience managing a team preferred.