Senior Scientist II, International Innovative Ingredients (D3I), Advanced Research, L'Oréal Research & Innovation – Clark, New Jersey

Life is too short for a boring career, so build an extraordinary one with us. We believe your career should spark the same thrill and curiosity as your personal interests. Creativity drives everything we do, turning ideas into meaningful impact. With opportunities across brands, markets, and divisions, your growth knows no boundaries.

Who We Are

Join us at L’Oréal, the world's #1 beauty company present in over 150 markets. For over a century, we have been transforming; fueled by data, tech, innovation, and science. Together, we tackle big challenges while making sure we stay committed to making the world a more inclusive and a better place for everyone & our planet.

At L’Oréal Research & Innovation we are pushing the boundaries of Science & Tech. We invest heavily in cutting-edge research, leveraging advanced technologies to understand skin, hair, and microbiome, while discovering new active ingredients and launching outperforming formulas. Our 4,100 L'Oréal R&I experts leverage Science & Technology to invent safe, trustable, sustainable & responsible beauty products and experiences that will change people’s lives.

We are seeking an innovative Senior Scientist II to join our Advanced Research team as part of the International Innovative Ingredients (D3I) organization. In this role, you are the strategic catalyst at the intersection of External Supplier R&I, Internal Métier Labs, and Sourcing teams.

A Day in the Life: As a Senior Scientist II in D3I, your mission is to transform sustainable and disruptive ingredient technologies into high-performance cosmetic solutions. Your responsibilities include:

• Drive Technical Innovation: Leverage your formulation background to assess, challenge, and valorize innovative ingredients, ensuring they deliver superior performance within our internal product portfolio.
• Orchestrate Collaboration: Act as the key technical interface between external industrial partners (suppliers) and internal stakeholders (Advanced Research, Development Labs, and Sourcing) to align innovation pipelines with global brand strategies.
• Proactive Scouting: Stay ahead of market trends and scientific breakthroughs to scout for unmet needs, autonomously proposing new ingredient technologies and "gems" from supplier pipelines to our lab leaders.
• Co-Create Technology Roadmaps: Partner closely with R&I labs to co-design ingredient roadmaps, translating complex sustainability requirements into actionable innovation opportunities.
• Accelerate Ingredient Transformation: Lead the end-to-end qualification process, coordinating with multidisciplinary teams (Product Development, Safety, Regulatory, DIPI) to solve technical bottlenecks and ensure timely, innovative product launches.
• Champion Sustainability: Critically assess the environmental and social impact of new technologies, ensuring every new ingredient strengthens L’Oréal’s commitment to sustainable beauty and our "For The Future" goals.
• Excellence in Quality: Engage with suppliers to secure comprehensive technical dossiers, meticulously verifying data accuracy while pushing for higher quality and performance standards.
• Bridge Science & Business: Collaborate with Sourcing and R&I to understand the business impact of ingredient innovations, exploring new ways to accelerate technology transformation within a matrixed organization.
  
  

We Are Looking For: You are a technical bridge with a natural curiosity and a proven ability to accelerate the journey from a supplier's lab to our consumers' hands.

• Education: A Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biology, Materials Science, Physical/Surface Chemistry, or a related field is required. Candidates with a Master's/PhD preferred.
• Experience:
• 3-5 years of relevant experience with a Ph.D. or 5-7+ years with a Bachelor's/Master's degree is required.
• Experience in the personal care or cosmetic industry preferred
• Experience working for or with raw material suppliers is highly valued.
• Strong background in formulation and personal care product development.
• Core Competencies:
• Strategic Innovator: Ability to analyze complex problems, think critically, and develop innovative solutions.
• Agile Collaborator: Thrives in a fast-paced environment, effectively managing multiple projects and priorities while collaborating seamlessly with cross-functional teams.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Impactful Communicator: Strong communication and presentation skills, capable of influencing both technical and business stakeholders.
• Preferred Skills: Prior experience in project management and proficiency in a foreign language are valuable assets.
• The ability to be onsite, in the office as this is an essential function of the position (required)
• Authorization to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent, ongoing basis without the need for legal sponsorship now or in the future (required). No immigration support/sponsorship offered for this role.
  

What’s In It For You

• A place for you to leave your comfort zone and grow beyond your potential (here, you’ll be encouraged to try new things and take risks!)
• Real responsibility from day 1, there’s no sitting on the sidelines at L’Oréal
• An environment where people of every ethnicity, social background, age, religion, gender and sexual orientation as well as people with disabilities are accepted, can speak up, will thrive and are celebrated!
• A place where you can contribute to something bigger! Many of our brands have societal /environmental causes to make concrete difference
• Competitive Benefits Package (Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, Pension Plan)
• Base Salary Range: $90,200 - $128,500 (The actual compensation will depend on a variety of job-related factors which may include geographic location, work experience, education, and skill level)
• Hybrid Work Policy (up to 2 days Work From Home)
• Flexible Time Off (Paid Company Holidays, Paid Vacation, Vacation Buy Program, Volunteer Time, Summer Fridays & More!)
• Access to Company Perks (VIP Access to L’Oréal’s Internal Shop for Discounted Products, Monthly Mobile Allowance)
• Learning and Development Opportunities (Unlimited Access to E-learnings, Lunch & Learn Sessions, Mentorship Programs, & More!)
• Employee Resource Groups (Think Tanks and Innovation Squads)
• Access to Mental Health & Wellness Programs
  
  

Don’t meet every single requirement? At L'Oréal, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and innovative workplace. If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with the qualifications listed in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways! You may just be the right candidate for this or other roles!

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We’re committed to guaranteeing inclusive recruitment processes and advocating for hiring and promoting each candidate in an ethical and equitable way. The Group strictly prohibits discrimination against any applicant for employment because of the individual’s gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, visible and/or invisible disabilities, socio-economic and/or multicultural origins, health conditions, age, religion, or any other characteristics protected by law.