Formulation Chemist

Location: Merseyside / Wirral Area

Position: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: Competitive Pay & Great Benefits

Our client is a leading, specialist manufacturer dedicated to innovation in advanced liquid and emulsion formulation. Operating across multiple sectors—including topical medical, personal care, household, and industrial applications—they pride themselves on delivering high-performing, safe, and compliant products for a global market. They are currently seeking a proactive and detail-focused Development Chemist to join their expanding technical team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a chemist with some years’ of industry experience to play a hands-on role in the development of liquid-based products. Supporting the technical department, the successful candidate will design, develop, and optimise formulations from early-stage laboratory testing through to scale-up and production support. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will develop your expertise in a specialist and evolving area of formulation chemistry.

• Formulation & Design: Design, develop, and optimise liquid, gel, and emulsion formulations to meet performance, quality, and cost objectives.
• Testing & Evaluation: Conduct laboratory testing to assess product performance, rheology, stability, and compatibility with packaging components.
• Scale-up & Production: Support the transition of products from laboratory to pilot stage and into full production, including involvement in manufacturing and filling trials.
• Documentation: Maintain accurate laboratory records and prepare comprehensive technical documentation and reports.
• Troubleshooting: Assist with resolving formulation, processing, or production issues as they arise.
• Collaboration: Work closely with manufacturing, quality, and regulatory teams to ensure successful product launches.
• Innovation: Monitor developments in raw materials, innovative delivery systems, scientific literature, and relevant regulations.

Our client is looking for a motivated chemist with a solid grounding in formulation and laboratory testing, ideally gained within personal care, household, or a related product environment.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Degree in Chemistry or a related scientific discipline.
• Industry experience in formulation or product development.
• Hands-on laboratory testing experience and understanding of analytical techniques (e.g., viscosity, pH, stability, and particle size analysis).
• Familiarity with standard laboratory analytical equipment, such as FTIR.
• Strong problem-solving, data analysis, and organisational skills with high attention to detail.
• Clear communication skills and the confidence to collaborate with internal manufacturing and quality stakeholders.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience working with complex fluid delivery systems, dispensing mechanisms, or specialized packaging components.
• Exposure to pilot plant trials or scaling up batch manufacturing.
• Experience in personal care, household, automotive, industrial, or FMCG formulations.
• Knowledge of relevant regulations (e.g., CLP, REACH, and cosmetic/chemical compliance).
• Familiarity with stability testing protocols and accelerated ageing studies.

This role offers an exceptional opportunity to build a long-term career within a specialist technical sector. You will gain exposure to a broad range of product development projects and have the opportunity to progress into senior formulation or technical leadership positions. You will be at the forefront of industry innovation, including:

• Advanced topical and fluid delivery systems.
• Sustainable product development (green chemistry and eco-friendly packaging technologies).

Our client offers a competitive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, work-life balance, and professional growth, including:

• Performance-related bonus scheme.
• Generous annual leave allowance, plus the option to purchase additional days.
• Scheduled Christmas factory shutdown.
• Company pension scheme & accident insurance.
• Comprehensive healthcare cash plan and employee assistance programme.
• Cycle to Work scheme.
• Excellent professional development and training opportunities.
• Free on-site parking.
• Regular company social events.