Formulation Technologist

Job content

Job Position: Formulation Technologist

Location: Leeds R&D department

About Unilever

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Persil, Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Hellmann’s, Lipton, Wall’s, PG Tips, Ben & Jerry’s, Marmite, Magnum and Lynx. Faced with the challenge of climate change and the need for human development, we want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the natural limits of the planet. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace”

The future begins in Research & Development (R&D). In R&D, you’ll find out what consumers want and need, and then design the science and technology to make our innovations come to life. We have over 6,000 R&D employees designing, creating and developing exciting new products using innovative technologies - from scientists and product development experts to professionals such as hairdressers and chefs who have the skills to evaluate new products. You could be designing and developing new innovations for brands like TRESemmé, Magnum, Cornetto and Domestos – straight from your team to the shelves!

At the core of our values is sustainability, and our teams are dedicated to making our products better for you, for our customers and for the world. We are committed to ensuring that all of our packaging is fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, and that we are using more recycled content. To achieve this, we collaborate closely either within the various R&D teams, with other Unilever colleagues like Marketeers and the Supply Chain, and with leading scientific experts from around the world.

The role is based in the North East of Leeds, home to one of the largest deodorant factories in Europe. You can also find our Research & Development Centre. Onsite, there is a [insert as applicable: canteen, a gym and a subsidised shop offering a selection of our Unilever products].

BACKGROUND

The Deodorants Category is the fastest growing category in Unilever with three of Unilever’s most iconic brands in Rexona, Axe and Dove. Growth through innovation is at the heart of the Deodorants Strategy. Unilever is the biggest player in the global Deodorants market and is determined to set the agenda for this category. This job is based in Deodorant’s consumer benefit platform (CBP) team within the Global Category Design (GDC) Centre. You will work to delivery relevant technologies in Deo formulations to the brands and lead technical testing to support a superiority position for our technologies.

MAIN JOB PURPOSE

This job focuses on the implementation of leading edge technologies and formulations across one or several applicator types to deliver new products for global rollout through working with Unilever Science & Technology (S&T), external suppliers and universities.

• Identify new technologies that deliver superior benefits for Deodorant products
• Undertake formulation development across all applicators to transfer to global innovation projects
• Undertake specific aspects of technical testing capability and build technical expertise within the department
• High level of technical input at both theoretical and practical levels
  
  

Main Accountabilities

• Work with Formulation leader on Deo CBP team, to deliver all aspects of the new formulations across all the different applicators, subsequent formulation testing, claims development and claim support generation.
• In autonomy, lead selected areas of new technology development within the Deo CBP team by using technical expertise to plan the work streams. This involves working in the lab, with suppliers, S&T, SEAC (Safety) and scouting for technical ideas/solutions, setting up relevant confidential agreements when required and patenting any new technology breakthroughs.
• Actively create/design formulations to meet consumer needs, by manufacturing and testing new and existing formulations and using expertise to solve specific issues related to new ingredients, ingredients interactions, physical properties, stability and processing.
• Ensure that systems are in place to ensure efficient and safe running of the laboratory and GDC shared areas; identifies and where necessary designs any new equipment requirements or refurbishments and work with formulation lead to implement changes.
• Identify solutions to regulatory and legislative issues which have a significant impact on the business on applicator within key area of technical expertise.
• Using specialised technical knowledge and rigour to develop new protocols and characterisation techniques for testing on specific technology field, updates/improving existing protocols.
• Recognised as having expertise on specific technical testing providing support to internal cross- functional Unilever teams within and outside of the Deodorants category and act as link between global and regional Deo sites.
• Actively monitors competitor launches within specific benefit areas and through formulation expertise understand implications for Unilever products /brands and to generate support for any claim/patent challenges.
  
  

Experience

• Graduate calibre. Education: Preferably degree level in relevant science or engineering discipline.
• Strong knowledge of formulation techniques gained in FMCG or cosmetic care.
• Experienced in development of different technology bases e.g. suspension, emulsion, solution
• Working within and managing a formulation laboratory with good working knowledge of COSHH and risk assessment.
• Some packaging/processing and scale up knowledge would be an advantage.
  
  

Additional Information

• Limited travel with overnight stays maybe necessary
• Full Eu driving licence is desirable
  
  

What We Offer

Not only do we offer a competitive salary, but also our pension scheme, an annual bonus, a free gym, a staff shop and shares. You’ll get the opportunity to work directly with our renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and agile environment. We strive to achieve a family-friendly culture and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.