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