Product Development Manager, Formulation

An innovative and fast-growing company in the San Diego area is seeking a Product Development Manager to lead high-impact product development initiatives across various beauty categories.

This is a hands-on technical role responsible for driving products from concept through commercialization, including formulation, testing, and manufacturing scale-up. The role offers a unique opportunity to work on both established, shelf-ready products and new product innovation for major retail channels.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in formulation development, contract manufacturing, and OTC products, along with a strong ability to lead cross-functional execution and deliver high-quality consumer products at scale. The Product Development Manager, Formulation team member reports to the Vice President of Product Development.

Key Responsibilities

1) Product Development & Scale-Up

• Drive formulation development to achieve targeted performance, sensory attributes, appearance, and claims
• Coordinate validation, and commercialization readiness across product lines
• Manage timelines, critical paths, and cost considerations for development and scale-up
• Drive lab, pilot, and full-scale production in partnership with contract manufacturers
• Ensure smooth transition into manufacturing with consistent quality and supply

2) OTC, SPF & Regulatory

• Serve as day-to-day driver for OTC and SPF product development, under the guidance of the VP of Product Development
• Partner with Regulatory to support claims substantiation and ensure compliance with FDA and U.S. regulations
• Align formulations, testing protocols, and documentation with on-pack claims
• Coordinate development testing, including stability, compatibility, and performance validation
• Ensure formulations are compatible with packaging and meet regulatory expectations prior to launch

3) Cross-Functional Supplier Management

• Act as the primary day-to-day contact across a network of contract manufacturing partners
• Coordinate formulation development, testing, scale-up, and technology transfer
• Collaborate with Packaging teams to ensure formula–package compatibility and aligned timelines
• Partner closely with Quality, Regulatory, and Commercial teams to drive execution
• Maintain clear documentation and communicate development progress to stakeholders

4) New Product Innovation

• Drive end-to-end development of new products for a range of retail channels
• Translate customer briefs into scalable, compliant, and cost-effective formulations
• Support innovation across mass retail, drug, grocery, specialty, and club channels
• Balance innovation initiatives alongside ongoing product development priorities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Biology, or a related field
• 8 years of product development experience in beauty, personal care, and/or OTC categories
• Demonstrated experience with OTC drug products and SPF formulations
• Strong background working with contract manufacturers
• Proven ability to manage complex development timelines, testing programs, and budgets
• Preferred to have experience supporting major retail customers
• Familiarity with shelf-ready packaging and retail quality expectations
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with Packaging, Regulatory, and Quality teams
• Ability to travel as needed to CM locations during production runs, located mostly in the Los Angeles area.

Work Schedule:

Hybrid Schedule - Monday through Friday 8:30AM to 5:00PM with variation based on business demands (Mon & Fri remote, Tues - Thurs in-office)

Pay range: $115,000 to $125,000

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off