Modelling Manager (m/f/d) - Care & Styling Formulation - R&D

Modelling Manager (m/f/d) – Care & Styling Formulation

At the earliest possible time | location: Darmstadt, Hessen | permanent

ABOUT WELLA

Wella Company is one of The World’s leading Beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders. For more information about the Wella Company, visit our website www.wellacompany.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

ABOUT R&D

Research & Development in Wella is a highly collaborative, competent and innovative group. You join diverse teams of highly passionate Scientists, Engineers and Hair & Nail Artists who innovate at the forefront of technology and beauty trends. We:

• Deliver end-to-end innovation​ through an empowered learning culture, exploring, developing and qualifying innovations that delight consumers​.
• Innovate and bring to life the future of the Company, guided by focused consumer research and the trends that will grow our industry long term​.
• Drive safety, sustainability, quality and regulatory always front and center to our work​.

We want you to join the Wella R&D family on an exciting journey through exciting challenges and opportunities as we become an independent, winning Wella again!

THE ROLE

Innovation in care and styling formulation has become a driving force in transforming how products are developed to meet consumer demands. With constantly evolving challenges and opportunities, the need for cutting-edge technical solutions has never been more critical. As industries embrace the integration of artificial intelligence, advanced coding, and scientific modelling, the formulation landscape is witnessing unprecedented growth.  We are seeking a visionary and skilled Modelling Manager to join our Care and Styling Formulation team. This pivotal role will focus on accelerating the speed of formulation qualification through the application of advanced AI tools, coding techniques, and modelling methodologies.

You will be part of discovery and development team whose role is to deliver upstream and downstream initiatives.  You are expected to contribute both with ideas and with hands-on lab work to design, make and test prototypes, generate and interpret data to connect science and artistry into products innovation and communicate the results and recommendations.  In addition, you will lead efforts to build AI and coding capabilities within the team.

YOUR WORK WILL INCLUDE 

• Design and optimize formulations, as well as lead technical testing of formulations (e.g. pH, rheology, stability etc.), both in the lab and in collaboration with our sensory panel (in partnership with R&D hairstylists), the PTL and analytical department.
• Develop and implement AI-driven and coded modelling systems to enhance formulation qualification and optimisation processes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate advanced modelling techniques into the care and styling product development pipeline.
• Analyse and interpret complex datasets to inform formulation strategies and improve product performance.
• Lead innovation initiatives by identifying opportunities to leverage AI and modelling to address unmet needs in care and styling.
• Provide technical leadership to the formulation team, driving skill development in AI, coding, and data analytics.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex data sets.
• Innovative mindset with a passion for leveraging technology to drive progress.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Experience in lab operations (i.e. Batch making, documentation, testing, analyzing, evaluation, stability, rheology measurements etc.).
• Focus on Priorities – ability to handle formulation and testing of multiple product streams in parallel, driving them to completion and ensuring accurate record keeping and results reporting.
• Leadership / Ownership - we are expecting the successful candidate to show high levels of personal ownership. Hands-on attitude towards both practical work and ‘owning the project problems’.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Education:  Minimum Master’s degree in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering with a focus on Data Analytics, or in a related field.

Experience:

• 5+ years of experience in formulation development or a related field
• Demonstrated success in implementing AI-driven solutions in the work environment.
• Experience in managing projects and building technical capabilities is a plus.
• Affinity for beauty; experience in the hair care and styling industry or related industries (e.g., FMCG or chemicals) is a plus.

IT Skills:

• MS Office, plus experience with SAP RD or similar R&D management system & formula repository.
• Strong background in coding languages such as Python or similar.
• Proven experience with AI technologies, machine learning algorithms, and data modelling techniques.
• Expertise in chemical and physical modelling is required. Experience in applying to care and styling formulations is a plus.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT WELLA 

• A diverse and dynamic team; passionate about Care and Styling. 
• Attractive salary package with a wide range of benefits.
• Free company parking as well as central location and good public transport connections. 
• Promotion of personal potential and individual career paths. 
• Support during the induction period and the opportunity to take on responsibility at an early stage. 
• Flexible working hours and the opportunity to work from home. 
• A collegial working atmosphere at an employer with an appreciative corporate culture. 
• Open communication and an international as well as diverse environment in which the "WE" is in the foreground! 

Become a part of the "WELLA- family" - we live our values! #wellafamily #WellaCareers

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

We offer equal employment opportunity to qualified individuals without regard to ethnical origin, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Wella Company with disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.