Senior Hair Color Innovation Specialist

As an R&D expert in hair color, you will lead the development of professional hair dye formulations and related color products from idea to market. You will work within Keune’s innovation team in the Amsterdam area, collaborating across functions to drive performance, safety, and regulatory compliance. You will mentor peers, scout new ingredients and technologies, and push sustainability and process improvements. This role offers the opportunity to shape next-generation color solutions for a global salon network.

• Highly competitive fixed and variable salary
• Travel allowance
• 27 vacation days per year
• Extremely advantageous pension plan
• Relocation support for non-Dutch candidates
• The 30% Tax ruling eligibility

• Develop and optimize formulations for hair dyes, bleaches, and professional color products with high performance and regulatory compliance
• Lead color development projects from concept to commercialization
• Research new ingredients, technologies, and trends in hair color science to drive innovation
• Perform patent searches and assess freedom-to-operate for development support
• Apply instrumental and analytical techniques to characterize and validate product performance
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align development with business objectives
• Provide technical leadership, coaching, and mentorship to junior/mid-level team members
• Identify opportunities for innovation, process improvements, and sustainability initiatives

• Master's degree in Cosmetic Science or related field
• Minimum 7 years' experience in formulation and development of hair dyes; experience with bleaches is a strong advantage
• Proven track record of bringing cosmetic products to market
• Strong leadership, communication, and project management skills
• Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Strategic mindset with passion for innovation and continuous improvement

• Collaborative and relationship-driven
• Curious and improvement-focused
• Resilient and calm under pressure
• Hair dye and bleaching formulation
• Regulatory compliance understanding for cosmetic products
• Project management