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Director Formulation Development Jobs in Elmhurst, IL

fairlife

Senior Director, Product Development

Chicago, IL ยท On-site

$10K/mo

The Senior Director of Product Development will lead the end-to-end innovation, formulation, and commercialization of high protein, milk-based beverages. This role is responsible for translating ...

Pave Talent

R&D Chemist - UV Liquid Ink Formulation

West Chicago, IL

... direct commercial impact. โ € ๐—ช๐—›๐—”๐—ง ๐—ฌ๐—ข๐—จ'๐—Ÿ๐—Ÿ ๐—•๐—จ๐—œ๐—Ÿ๐—— โ€ข ... Liquid formulation projects and UV/EB Coatings development for packaging applications โ€ข ...

Circana

Associate, Corporate Strategy

Chicago, IL

Reporting to the Director, Corporate Strategy, you will be a key member of Circana's Strategy team ... strategy formulation, development, and execution. * Strategic Alignment: Collaborate with ...

Circana

Associate, Corporate Strategy

Chicago, IL ยท On-site

Reporting to the Director, Corporate Strategy, you will be a key member of Circana's Strategy team ... strategy formulation, development, and execution. * Strategic Alignment: Collaborate with ...

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Director Formulation Development information

See Elmhurst, IL salary details

$88.6K

$190.6K

$286.3K

How much do director formulation development jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for director formulation development in Elmhurst, IL is $190,642.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $93,600.00 and $248,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the major responsibilities and day-to-day activities for a Director Formulation Development?

As a Director Formulation Development, you will oversee the design and optimization of drug formulations, lead a multidisciplinary team of scientists, and ensure that projects meet quality, budget, and timeline expectations. Your daily activities often include strategic planning, reviewing progress reports, troubleshooting formulation challenges, and collaborating with regulatory, manufacturing, and quality assurance departments. You may also interact with upper management to report on key milestones and contribute to long-term product development strategies. This role offers opportunities to influence project pipelines and play a central part in bringing new therapies to market.

What is a Director Formulation Development job?

A Director of Formulation Development leads the design and optimization of pharmaceutical formulations, ensuring they meet quality, regulatory, and performance standards. They oversee research, guide teams in developing new drug delivery systems, and collaborate with regulatory and manufacturing teams. This role requires expertise in chemistry, pharmaceutics, and process development to ensure successful product commercialization. Additionally, they manage project timelines, budgets, and technical challenges to drive innovation in drug formulation.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Director Formulation Development position, and why are they important?

A Director Formulation Development typically requires an advanced degree in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, or a related field, along with significant experience in drug formulation and team management. Familiarity with industry-standard formulation software, regulatory compliance systems, and relevant certifications such as PMP or Six Sigma are highly valued. Excellent leadership, communication, and strategic planning skills help set high performers apart in this role. These skills and qualities are critical for driving innovative product development, ensuring regulatory compliance, and effectively leading cross-functional teams.

What job categories do people searching Director Formulation Development jobs in Elmhurst, IL look for? The top searched job categories for Director Formulation Development jobs in Elmhurst, IL are:
What cities near Elmhurst, IL are hiring for Director Formulation Development jobs? Cities near Elmhurst, IL with the most Director Formulation Development job openings:
Director Formulation Development jobs near you
Senior Director, Product Development

Senior Director, Product Development

fairlife

Chicago, IL โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

Job description

fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based nutrition company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and dairy products to nourish consumers.
With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife's portfolio of delicious, lactose-free, real dairy products includes: fairlifeยฎ ultra-filtered milk; Core Powerยฎ High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; fairlifeยฎ nutrition planโ„ข, a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health.
A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation.
To learn more about fairlife and its complete line of products, please visit fairlife.com.
job purpose: The Senior Director of Product Development will lead the end-to-end innovation, formulation, and commercialization of high protein, milk-based beverages. This role is responsible for translating consumer insights, nutritional science, and business strategy into scalable, differentiated products that win in the marketplace. The position provides strategic and technical leadership across R&D, product design, process development, and cross functional execution. This leader will serve as the technical authority for dairy based protein beverages, ensuring products meet targets for nutrition, sensory performance, quality, regulatory compliance, and cost, while accelerating speed to market.
responsibilities:
Product & Innovation Leadership
  • Own the product development strategy for high protein milk-based beverages, aligned with portfolio, growth, and brand objectives.
  • Lead the creation of differentiated formulations and drive innovative pipelines from concept through launch, including renovation, line extensions, and breakthrough platforms.
  • Apply consumer insights, sensory science, and nutrition trends to guide product design.

Technical & Scientific Excellence
  • Serve as subject-matter expert in dairy chemistry, protein functionality, stabilization, and shelf-life optimization.
  • Lead formulation development addressing challenges such as viscosity, sedimentation, flavor masking, heat stability, and protein solubility.
  • Oversee bench-top, pilot, and commercial scale-up activities, ensuring technical feasibility and manufacturing robustness.
  • Ensure compliance with food safety, regulatory, and labeling requirements (FDA, USDA, global as applicable).

Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Partner closely with Marketing, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Regulatory, and Supply Chain to ensure seamless commercialization.
  • Provide technical guidance during capital projects, co-manufacturing selection, and process optimization.
  • Influence senior leadership through data-driven recommendations, risk assessments, and scenario planning.

Team & Capability Building
  • Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing product development and R&D team.
  • Establish best-in-class development processes, stage-gate governance, and technical standards.
  • Foster a culture of innovation, scientific rigor, and continuous improvement.

Business & Portfolio Impact
  • Manage development budgets, timelines, and resource allocation.
  • Balance innovation ambition with cost targets, margin goals, and operational constraints.
  • Support IP strategy, supplier partnerships, and external collaborations.

skills/qualifications required:
  • Advanced degree (MS or PhD preferred) in Food Science, Dairy Science, Chemical Engineering, Nutrition, or related field.
  • 12+ years of progressive experience in product development within dairy, beverages, or nutrition focused CPG.
  • Proven leadership in high protein or functional beverage development (RTD, UHT, ESL, refrigerated).
  • Demonstrated success taking products from concept to commercial launch at scale.
  • Experience working with cross-functional and global teams.
  • Understanding and knowledge of Dairy protein systems (whey, casein, milk protein concentrates/isolates), UHT / HTST processing and aseptic technologies, emulsion and stabilization systems, sensory optimization and flavor systems, shelf-life testing and quality validation, and regulatory and nutrition labeling considerations

how fairlife nourishes you:
At fairlife, we believe in better - and that includes how we support our people. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits and well-being resources designed to support you physically, emotionally, socially, and financially, both in and out of work.
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, effective day one!
  • Supplemental health plans (hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance)
  • Paid Time Off to recharge and support work-life balance
  • Paid parental leave & adoption assistance (up to $10,000)
  • Parental support & family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support
  • 401(k) to support retirement planning with up to 9% in employer match
  • Wellness reimbursement (up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses)
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional wellbeing and work-life support
  • Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability
  • Employer HSA funding (for HDHP participants)
  • Tuition reimbursement (up to $10,000) and student loan repayment ($200/month)
  • Learning & development programs to unlock your full potential
  • Rewards & recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups

fairlife's nourish program is designed to meet you where you are - supporting your individual wellbeing journey while enabling you to do your best work every day.
position location: Chicago Illinois
travel requirements: 40%
exempt/nonexempt: Exempt
*Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.
Base pay range:
$175,000-$205,000 USD
fairlife, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. All qualified applicants and employees will be given equal opportunity. Selection decisions are based on job-related factors.
In addition to its nondiscrimination commitment, the Company will also provide reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the Company. If you have a disability and would like to request accommodation in order to apply for a position with us, please email careers@fairlife.com.
For Recruitment AgenciesAt fairlife, we manage the majority of our hiring internally through our dedicated Talent Acquisition team, which is actively engaged in direct candidate sourcing. Most of our roles are filled through applications submitted via our careers site or through direct outreach by our team.
As our recruitment is primarily handled in-house, we work only occasionally with external agencies, and only those on our existing, pre-approved vendor list. At this time, we are not reviewing or expanding that list.
Unsolicited resumes or submissions from external agencies not authorized by our Talent Acquisition team will be considered direct candidate applications. As such, fairlife will not assume responsibility for any placement fees associated with these submissions.

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