Director, Formulation & Development
CURiO Brands, Minneapolis, MN, United States
About the Role
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As the
Director, Product Formulation & Development , you are a senior technical and people leader responsible for shaping Curio’s formulation strategy across new product innovation and existing product evolution. You bring deep experience in formulation science and regulatory compliance. You have a strong understanding of fragrance-forward consumer products, and a proven track record of leading development from concept through commercialization. This role is critical to delivering high-quality, compliant, and differentiated products that support Curio’s growth and brand ambitions. What You’ll Do Product Formulation & Development Leadership Set the strategic direction for formulation and development across new products and existing product evolution, ensuring alignment with brand intent, product experience, cost targets, and operational scalability. Lead formulation efforts from early concept through commercialization, ensuring product performance, safety, scalability, and brand intent are achieved. Provide senior-level technical guidance during product testing, evaluation, and troubleshooting of formulation, performance, or quality issues. Ensure the full product experience, formula performance, fragrance interaction, and use experience, is considered throughout sourcing and design phases. Ensure R&D teams follow defined SOPs for formulation, testing, stability, documentation, and scale-up, while continuously improving processes as the business grows. Product Research, Innovation & Regulatory Strategy Collaborate with brand and design teams to research and concept new product formats, formulations, ingredients, and technologies. Stay current on industry trends, emerging ingredients, and evolving regulatory requirements across personal care, home fragrance, and home care categories. Ensure regulatory considerations are prioritized throughout development, reformulation, and ongoing production. Partner with legal and business leadership to assess compliance risk and develop sound regulatory strategies. Guide research-based responses to consumer inquiries, including allergy-related questions Cross-Functional & External Partnership Partner closely with Project Management, Product Design, Production Art, Quality & Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain to keep development work on track. Collaborate with functional leaders to establish high-level development roadmaps, project sequencing, and resourcing plans. Maintain strong relationships with strategic vendors, formulation partners, and filling partners; participate in vetting, onboarding, and ongoing business partnerships. Leverage and oversee external R&D partners to extend internal capacity and capabilities as needed. As a Curio Leader and Manager You provide leadership to your team and ensure the talent, resources, and readiness are in place to meet both short- and long-term goals. You model CURiO Cornerstones in your daily decisions and actions. You foster a strong team culture, encouraging collaboration across departments to drive company-wide success. You prioritize employee development by setting clear expectations, encouraging growth, and supporting career progression within and beyond your team. You mentor, guide, and coach your direct reports to expand their capabilities and improve performance. You deliver regular performance feedback and address non-performance appropriately and constructively. You lead by example through change, communicating proactively and supporting company initiatives, programs, and policies. You effectively manage or work within multi-location teams in a fast-paced and evolving environment. You onboard new hires effectively, introducing them to CURiO's culture, expectations, and tools for success. You drive business results by fostering strong cross-functional collaboration. You ensure that company communications are shared with your team in a timely, positive, and clear manner. You maintain and protect company proprietary information. You follow safety policies, take action to resolve safety concerns, and ensure your team maintains a clean, safe, and organized workspace. You understand that success in your role could include occasional extended work hours as necessary to meet seasonal deadlines and that periodically, you may be asked to perform other duties not included in your role description. What You Bring Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry or other scientific field 15+ years of experience in product formulation and development 10+ years of experience in personal care and/or consumer product regulatory compliance Experience working with fragrance-driven formulations Experience in the candle or home fragrance industry Demonstrated success leading formulation from concept through commercialization Strong expertise in cosmetic, household, and fragrance regulatory frameworks (FDA, IFRA, CARB, EPA, and related bodies) Excellent communication, collaboration, and cross-functional leadership skills Strong technical judgment and problem-solving capabilities in complex development environments Working proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) Core Competencies: Strategic technical leadership People leadership and team development Regulatory expertise and risk management Cross-functional collaboration and influence Continuous improvement mindset Strong attention to detail and organizational discipline Knowledge of laboratory safety and utilization of good laboratory technique Additional Information Travel Requirement: less than 5% Work Environment: General office or home office environment Physical Requirements: Occasionally required to lift and/or move items weighing 15 – 30 pounds. Daily exposure to laboratory conditions, chemicals, and equipment. Occasional exposure to dusty and fragrant conditions. Why Join CURiO At CURiO, we craft beautiful experiences for the home and body through our fragrance and personal care brands. We’re committed to creating a collaborative, inclusive workplace where talent can thrive and grow. You’ll be part of a passionate team driving meaningful work — with the agility of a growth company and the heart of a purpose-driven brand. Equal Opportunity Employer Curio is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. xywuqvp We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees.
Considering applying for this job Do not delay, scroll down and make your application as soon as possible to avoid missing out.
As the
Director, Product Formulation & Development , you are a senior technical and people leader responsible for shaping Curio’s formulation strategy across new product innovation and existing product evolution. You bring deep experience in formulation science and regulatory compliance. You have a strong understanding of fragrance-forward consumer products, and a proven track record of leading development from concept through commercialization. This role is critical to delivering high-quality, compliant, and differentiated products that support Curio’s growth and brand ambitions. What You’ll Do Product Formulation & Development Leadership Set the strategic direction for formulation and development across new products and existing product evolution, ensuring alignment with brand intent, product experience, cost targets, and operational scalability. Lead formulation efforts from early concept through commercialization, ensuring product performance, safety, scalability, and brand intent are achieved. Provide senior-level technical guidance during product testing, evaluation, and troubleshooting of formulation, performance, or quality issues. Ensure the full product experience, formula performance, fragrance interaction, and use experience, is considered throughout sourcing and design phases. Ensure R&D teams follow defined SOPs for formulation, testing, stability, documentation, and scale-up, while continuously improving processes as the business grows. Product Research, Innovation & Regulatory Strategy Collaborate with brand and design teams to research and concept new product formats, formulations, ingredients, and technologies. Stay current on industry trends, emerging ingredients, and evolving regulatory requirements across personal care, home fragrance, and home care categories. Ensure regulatory considerations are prioritized throughout development, reformulation, and ongoing production. Partner with legal and business leadership to assess compliance risk and develop sound regulatory strategies. Guide research-based responses to consumer inquiries, including allergy-related questions Cross-Functional & External Partnership Partner closely with Project Management, Product Design, Production Art, Quality & Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain to keep development work on track. Collaborate with functional leaders to establish high-level development roadmaps, project sequencing, and resourcing plans. Maintain strong relationships with strategic vendors, formulation partners, and filling partners; participate in vetting, onboarding, and ongoing business partnerships. Leverage and oversee external R&D partners to extend internal capacity and capabilities as needed. As a Curio Leader and Manager You provide leadership to your team and ensure the talent, resources, and readiness are in place to meet both short- and long-term goals. You model CURiO Cornerstones in your daily decisions and actions. You foster a strong team culture, encouraging collaboration across departments to drive company-wide success. You prioritize employee development by setting clear expectations, encouraging growth, and supporting career progression within and beyond your team. You mentor, guide, and coach your direct reports to expand their capabilities and improve performance. You deliver regular performance feedback and address non-performance appropriately and constructively. You lead by example through change, communicating proactively and supporting company initiatives, programs, and policies. You effectively manage or work within multi-location teams in a fast-paced and evolving environment. You onboard new hires effectively, introducing them to CURiO's culture, expectations, and tools for success. You drive business results by fostering strong cross-functional collaboration. You ensure that company communications are shared with your team in a timely, positive, and clear manner. You maintain and protect company proprietary information. You follow safety policies, take action to resolve safety concerns, and ensure your team maintains a clean, safe, and organized workspace. You understand that success in your role could include occasional extended work hours as necessary to meet seasonal deadlines and that periodically, you may be asked to perform other duties not included in your role description. What You Bring Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree or higher in chemistry or other scientific field 15+ years of experience in product formulation and development 10+ years of experience in personal care and/or consumer product regulatory compliance Experience working with fragrance-driven formulations Experience in the candle or home fragrance industry Demonstrated success leading formulation from concept through commercialization Strong expertise in cosmetic, household, and fragrance regulatory frameworks (FDA, IFRA, CARB, EPA, and related bodies) Excellent communication, collaboration, and cross-functional leadership skills Strong technical judgment and problem-solving capabilities in complex development environments Working proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) Core Competencies: Strategic technical leadership People leadership and team development Regulatory expertise and risk management Cross-functional collaboration and influence Continuous improvement mindset Strong attention to detail and organizational discipline Knowledge of laboratory safety and utilization of good laboratory technique Additional Information Travel Requirement: less than 5% Work Environment: General office or home office environment Physical Requirements: Occasionally required to lift and/or move items weighing 15 – 30 pounds. Daily exposure to laboratory conditions, chemicals, and equipment. Occasional exposure to dusty and fragrant conditions. Why Join CURiO At CURiO, we craft beautiful experiences for the home and body through our fragrance and personal care brands. We’re committed to creating a collaborative, inclusive workplace where talent can thrive and grow. You’ll be part of a passionate team driving meaningful work — with the agility of a growth company and the heart of a purpose-driven brand. Equal Opportunity Employer Curio is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. xywuqvp We celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees.