Principal Scientist - Hair Color

Who We Are:

At Combe, personal care is the core of our mission. We operate with the ingenuity & agility of a start-up, guided by our experience as a time-tested, privately held CPG. Founded by innovators Ivan & Mary Elizabeth Combe in 1949, our dedication to delivering innovative brands that address unmet consumer needs remains unwavering.

With a successful track record of category & brand development, including groundbreaking brands like Clearasil®, Odor-Eaters®, Just For Men®, and Vagisil®, we're constantly on the lookout for the next personal "issue" to solve. We're the majority investors in Virtue Labs® biotech haircare and the new home of Astroglide® personal lubricants. We compete to win in markets worldwide.

We like to say we bring the "&" to work every day - We're deeply rooted & always exploring, three-generations-savvy & next-generation-bold. We believe diversity & belonging are core to our business success, as we bring empathy & expertise to personal care. We are one of the few CPG companies that is a fully women-owned business and a family-owned company for over 75 years.

Join our unique CPG team, where the most-trusted brands meet exploration & innovation, and embark on an exciting journey to reshape the future of personal care. Together, we'll create products that make a significant difference in people's lives each day.

Why This Role:

This role leads formulation and new product development for Just For Men® hair and beard color products across global markets. You'll develop new formulations, expand shade ranges, explore emerging raw materials, and validate performance through testing. Your work directly influences innovation, quality, and consumer satisfaction across one of our most iconic brands.

What You'll Do:

• Create and advance new formulations for permanent and temporary hair color products, centered around consumer insights and scientific rigor.
• Develop complementary hair care products - shampoos, conditioners, and scalp treatments - using the latest color-care and scalp-care technologies.
• Lead multiple projects from concept to launch following the Combe Star process, collaborating across R&D, Marketing, Packaging, Manufacturing, and Quality.
• Optimize formula performance using deep knowledge of raw materials, surfactants, emulsions, and polymers.
• Conduct stability, physicochemical, and efficacy testing, including instrumental analysis on hair swatches and support of salon/consumer studies.
• Partner with Marketing to refine product concepts and develop scientifically supported claims and substantiation.
• Resolve formulation, stability, and processing challenges during development and scale-up.
• Ensure compliance with global hair dye regulations and safety standards in collaboration with our Safety team.
• Monitor competitor launches, formulas, technologies, shade expansions, and patent activity to inform innovation.
• Partner with suppliers to identify and adopt new technologies supporting long-term business growth.
• This position requires a small amount of travel.

What We're Looking For:

• Strong technical expertise in formulation science, hair color chemistry, and shade development.
• Deep understanding of hair structure, surfactants, polymers, emulsions, and color chemistry.
• Knowledge of global regulatory and safety requirements in hair color/hair care.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong collaborator in cross-functional environments.
• Experience conducting product testing and leveraging data to drive decisions.
• Innovative thinker with ability to streamline processes and drive technical excellence.

Education & Experience

• B.S. or M.S. required; Advanced degree preferred in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related field.
• Minimum 6-10 years of R&D and formulation experience in oxidative (permanent) hair color, hair care, and/or scalp care.
• Experience with patents, patent analysis, and technical publications in the hair color/hair care space.

Why Join Us:

At Combe, we go beyond offering a competitive salary - we're committed to offering outstanding benefits that empower our employees to thrive. Join us and enjoy:

• Office-based employees receive partial lunch subsidies, ensuring you savor mouthwatering meals without breaking the bank.
• Annual discretionary bonus
• Outstanding healthcare options prioritizing your physical and mental wellness.
• 401(k) match with Profit Sharing to secure your financial future.
• Health and Wellness Initiatives, including gym membership reimbursement, wellness workshops, and mental health support.
• Tuition reimbursement opportunities
• Compensation: $105,000 - $125,000 DOE

As we strive for excellence together, our commitment to offering remarkable benefits remains unwavering, ensuring a brighter future for everyone in our growing community.

Combe offers equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other legally protected status. We value diversity and inclusion and actively seek a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities and strive to build an accessible and inclusive environment for all candidates.