Director, Research and Development
On-site · Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Job Summary
Director, R&D leads the laboratory team to deliver consistent, reliable, and high-quality product development across skincare, colour cosmetics and SPF formulas. The role combines people leadership, technical judgment, and operational rigor to strengthen R&D delivery and cross-functional collaboration with Marketing, Innovation, Production, Regulatory, and Quality. Responsibilities include leading, developing, and coaching the R&D laboratory team; defining priorities and allocating resources; ensuring robust product development practices, testing strategies, risk assessment, documentation, and timely delivery of projects (NPD, EPD, change requests); overseeing both internally developed and externally sourced formulas; driving continuous improvement of R&D processes; managing the R&D budget and external partners; and translating product concepts into feasible development plans while maintaining quality and performance from lab to launch. Requirements include a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry and 10–15 years of cosmetic product development experience with 5–7 years of people leadership. The role emphasizes strong technical judgment, collaboration, organizational discipline, and the ability to operate in a fast-paced environment.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related scientific field
- 10–15 years of experience in cosmetic or personal care product development
- 5–7 years of people leadership experience
- Strong knowledge of cosmetic formulation principles (emulsions, actives, product performance)
- Exposure to manufacturing environments
- Experience working with external suppliers and development partners
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