Product Development Manager, Formulation - Private Label

Location: Encinitas, CA

COMPANY

L&R Distributors is seeking a Product Development Manager of Formulation 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: $110,000 to $120,000

The Company provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.

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