Senior R&D Formulator

About Hysses Hysses (乡术 — “arts from the village”) is Singapore’s leading aromatherapy and natural wellness brand, with a retail footprint of essential oil-based skincare, haircare, body care, and home scent products across Singapore, Malaysia, and beyond. All formulation, research, and development is done in-house at the Hysses Singapore HQ. Hysses formulates with natural botanicals and bioactive ingredients, sourced from farmers and native communities worldwide, and is committed to genuine efficacy over ingredient trends — avoiding synthetic silicones, parabens, paraffin, artificial colours, synthetic fragrances, and unrefined petroleum-derived ingredients. The brand’s growth has been driven by a small, hands-on R&D team responsible for everything from raw material sourcing to finished product launch. Role Summary The Senior R&D Formulator will lead the development of new products and reformulation of existing ones across Hysses’ skincare, haircare, body care, and home fragrance/essential oil ranges. This is a senior, hands-on technical role for an experienced formulator who can independently own projects from concept to commercial launch — balancing natural/clean-beauty ingredient philosophy, sensory and olfactory quality, regulatory compliance, cost, and manufacturability. The role also carries a mentorship component, guiding junior formulators and coordinating closely with sourcing, QA, regulatory, marketing, and manufacturing partners. Key Responsibilities Formulation & Product Development • Independently develop, trial, and optimise formulations for skincare, haircare, body care, and home/car scent products using natural botanical actives, essential oils, and bioactive ingredients. • Lead formulation projects end-to-end: concept briefs, bench trials, stability testing, pilot batches, scale-up, and handover to production. • Reformulate existing SKUs to improve efficacy, sensory experience, stability, cost, or compliance with Hysses’ clean-formulation standards (free from synthetic silicones, parabens, paraffin, artificial colours, synthetic fragrances, and unrefined petroleum derivatives). • Design and refine essential oil blends and fragrance accords for both leave-on/rinse-off body products and ambient home scent • formats (diffuser oils, room mists, candles). Technical & Quality Ownership • Conduct and oversee stability testing (accelerated & real-time), compatibility testing, challenge testing, and preservative efficacy studies in coordination with QA/QC and external labs. • Troubleshoot formulation issues arising in pilot or full-scale production runs (viscosity, separation, discolouration, scent drift, microbial stability, etc.). • Maintain rigorous documentation: formulation records, batch trial data, INCI listings, safety data, and version control for all formulas. • Ensure all formulations meet applicable regulatory requirements across Hysses’ markets (e.g., Singapore HSA cosmetic notification, • ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, and relevant requirements in export markets). Ingredient & Supplier Management • Source, vet, and qualify new natural and bioactive raw materials, essential oils, and botanical extracts, working directly with farmers, growers, and ingredient suppliers. • Evaluate raw materials for purity, sustainability, traceability, and consistency with Hysses’ natural-ingredient philosophy. • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of the aromatherapy and natural ingredient landscape, including emerging actives, extraction techniques, and sustainable sourcing practices. Cross-Functional Collaboration • Partner with Marketing and Product teams to translate brand and consumer briefs into technically sound, launch-ready formulations. • Work with Manufacturing/Operations to ensure formulas are scalable, cost-effective, and manufacturable within existing production capabilities. • Liaise with Regulatory/QA on labelling, claims substantiation, and safety documentation. • Support packaging compatibility testing in coordination with the packaging development team. Leadership & Process • Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior formulators and R&D associates. • Help establish and improve R&D processes, documentation standards, and lab protocols as the team and product range scale. • Contribute to long-term R&D roadmap and innovation pipeline planning. Requirements Education & Experience • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Cosmetic Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmacy, or a related field. • Hands-on formulation experience in cosmetics/personal care, with demonstrated ownership of products from concept through commercial launch. • Proven experience formulating with natural, naturally-derived, and/or essential oil-based ingredient systems is strongly preferred; aromatherapy or fragrance formulation experience is a strong plus. • Experience across multiple product categories (skincare, haircare, body care, and/or home fragrance) preferred. Technical Skills • Strong working knowledge of cosmetic chemistry: emulsions, surfactant systems, natural preservation/preservative-boosting strategies, rheology, and natural emulsifiers/thickeners. • Familiarity with essential oil chemistry, blending, and safe usage levels (IFRA guidelines knowledge a plus). • Working knowledge of ASEAN Cosmetic Directive and/or Singapore HSA cosmetic product notification requirements; familiarity with international regulatory frameworks (EU, US, China) is an advantage. • Comfortable with stability protocol design, analytical/QC basics, and reading INCI/safety documentation. • Proficient with formulation costing and understanding manufacturing/scale-up constraints. Personal Attributes • Strong sensory evaluation skills (texture, scent, colour, performance) and genuine passion for natural/botanical ingredients. • Detail-oriented with excellent documentation discipline. • Able to work independently and take ownership of multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced, en…