Director, Product Development

Company Description

Dr. Idriss is a board-certified dermatologist dedicated to making skincare and cosmetic procedures more understandable and accessible. Known online as #PillowtalkDerm, Dr. Idriss has built a global community of more than 3 million “Skin Nerds” through clear, evidence-based content. Dr. Idriss Skincare is a dermatologist-founded clinical skincare brand built around translating what Dr. Shereene Idriss sees and treats in her practice into effective, differentiated products consumers can use at home.

Role

The Director of Product Development will operate at the intersection of dermatology, formulation science and consumer product innovation. Working directly with Dr. Idriss and the President + CMO, this person will translate clinical observations, unmet skin needs and the brand’s treatment philosophy into custom formulations, evidence-backed claims and clear consumer propositions.

Every Dr. Idriss formula is developed specifically for the brand. This is not a role focused on adapting white-label formulas or following ingredient trends. It requires someone who can challenge laboratories, identify relevant advances in skin science and formulation technology, and build products with a credible clinical rationale from the beginning.

Responsibilities

• Work directly with Dr. Shereene Idriss and the President and CMO to translate recurring clinical observations, patient needs and dermatological treatment principles into a differentiated innovation pipeline.
• Turn approved concepts into rigorous laboratory briefs that define the skin concern, target consumer, scientific hypothesis, mechanism of action, active system, delivery approach, tolerability requirements, sensory goals and intended claims.
• Lead custom formulation development from initial brief through prototype evaluation, formula approval, stability and compatibility testing, scale-up and commercial production.
• Ensure that each formula has a clear dermatological rationale and delivers meaningful efficacy without compromising tolerability, elegance or ease of use.
• Challenge laboratories to develop proprietary active combinations, delivery systems, textures and formulation approaches rather than defaulting to standard bases or stock solutions.
• Establish an ongoing inbound flow of relevant ingredients, technologies, complexes, clinical research and formulation capabilities from laboratories, manufacturers, suppliers and scientific conferences.
• Develop the evidence strategy for each product, including stability, compatibility, safety, instrumental, consumer-perception and clinical testing as appropriate.
• Create claims matrices that connect every proposed benefit to its formulation rationale, testing methodology, supporting evidence and allowable consumer language.
• Partner with Operations, regulatory resources and manufacturers on formula documentation, ingredient review, technical specifications, market requirements, production readiness and quality troubleshooting.
• Translate formulation science and clinical evidence into a clear product point of difference, benefit hierarchy, ingredient story and reason to believe.
• Work with Marketing and Education to develop product positioning, key messages, product-detail-page content, retailer education and launch materials that are clinically credible and understandable to consumers.
• Maintain momentum across every active development program through clear laboratory feedback, disciplined development rounds, documented decisions and early escalation of technical risks.
• Own development timelines, testing budgets, priorities, dependencies and stage-gate decisions across the innovation pipeline.

Qualifications

• Eight or more years of product-development experience in clinical skincare, dermocosmetics, beauty, personal care or consumer health.
• Demonstrated ownership of custom skincare formulations from initial concept through commercialization.
• Strong knowledge of skin biology, cosmetic chemistry, active ingredients, formulation development, stability, compatibility, claims substantiation and manufacturing.
• Experience working with dermatologists, formulation chemists, clinical investigators, testing laboratories, ingredient suppliers and regulatory partners.
• The technical judgment to evaluate formula quality and scientific credibility while understanding consumer expectations for texture, experience and simplicity.
• The ability to translate complex dermatological and formulation concepts into precise laboratory direction and clear consumer language.
• A degree in chemistry, pharmaceutical science, biology, chemical engineering or a related scientific field is strongly preferred.
• Strong program-management skills and the ability to move multiple complex development programs forward without losing technical detail.

Location: Flexible hybrid in NYC with travel to laboratories, manufacturers, clinical partners and industry conferences as needed.

Salary range: $140K–$180K