Project Manager, Formulation Operations

About the role

Debut is seeking an organized, detail-driven Project Manager to own the formulation project lifecycle from project brief through successful tech transfer. Based in San Diego, CA at Debut's HQ, this role serves as the critical bridge between Debut's formulation sales team, formulation scientists, and contract manufacturing partners. The Project Manager is responsible for ensuring every formulation project is executed on time, in full, and to specification - from the moment a brief is issued through tech transfer handoff to the commercial manufacturing team. This is a high-accountability, detail-oriented role for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and has a genuine understanding of beauty formulation, new product development, or skincare from the commercial side. The successful candidate will be equally comfortable reviewing a formula brief and presenting project status in a brand-facing meeting. Essential Functions Own the end-to-end formulation project lifecycle from project brief up to tech transfer, maintaining clear accountability for timeline, quality, and deliverables at every stage. Proactively identify risks, flag delays, and drive resolution across internal teams and external partners. Serve as the primary coordination point between Debut's formulation sales team, R&D/formulation team, and on occasion contract manufacturing partners. Translate customer briefs into actionable formulation development plans, ensuring the sales team and brand customers receive timely, professional project updates, and escalating issues when needed. Manage day-to-day formulation project activity across Debut's internal R&D team and CM partner network, including on-site presence for lab reviews, prototype evaluations. Plan and manage brand-facing formulation reviews, site visits, and facility tours, coordinating logistics, preparing materials, and ensuring a professional, brand-appropriate experience that reinforces Debut's formulation and manufacturing credibility. Track and manage all Bill of Materials (BOM) components for active projects including raw materials, packaging, and finished goods specifications ensuring accuracy, version control, and timely communication of any changes to all relevant stakeholders. Coordinate sample submissions and approval workflows between Debut's formulation team, CM partners, and brand customers, ensuring all milestones are met within agreed timelines. Monitor formulation development milestones and tech transfer progress across all active projects, escalating issues related to formula performance, raw material availability, regulatory requirements, or quality non-conformances promptly and with clear resolution plans. Maintain rigorous project documentation in Debut's project management system (Monday.com), providing the VP of Operations and CCO with accurate, up-to-date visibility into project status, milestone achievement, and risk across the full portfolio. Support continuous improvement of Debut's formulation project management processes, tools, and CM partner coordination frameworks, including refining the tech transfer playbook as the company scales its formulation portfolio. Education and Experience The successful candidate will be highly organized, process-oriented, and deeply familiar with beauty prod

Benefits

Additional Information

About Debut Debut is the unconventional innovation lab spearheading the next generation of big business. Only Debut has a scalable, integrated, climate-positive creation model powered by biotechnology that puts human wellbeing at the center of everything we do-setting the new standard for profitable business and a new pace for an ever-changing world. Our hybrid biotechnology approaches unlock latent markets, providing access to sustainably produced, natural ingredients with health benefits that cannot be obtained through other methods. We are committed to traversing the entire process, from ingredient discovery to the scaling of these products, for consumer markets. If you are passionate, enjoy fast-paced innovation and collaborative teams, then Debut is for you. Project Manager, Formulation Operations Location: San Diego, CA (Debut's Headquarters) Reports To: VP of Commercial Operations Type: Full-Time Salary Range: USD $85,000 - $95,000 per annum (base) + performance-based incentives, commensurate with experience About Debut Debut is a vertically integrated biotechnology company pioneering the next generation of high-performance cosmetic active ingredients. We combine AI-driven discovery with proprietary bioprocessing to develop the highest performing and clinically proven active ingredients that outperform conventionally sourced alternatives. From molecule to market, Debut controls the full value chain: ingredient discovery, formulation science, clinical validation, and scaled manufacturing delivering novel active ingredients to the global beauty industry faster and with better efficacy data than traditional suppliers.

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