- Location
- Pontoise Île-de-France France
- Employment
- Internship
- Seniority
- Intern
- Posted
- Oct 21, 2026
About Clarins
Founded in Paris in 1954 by Jacques Courtin-Clarins, Clarins is a family-owned beauty house renowned for its plant-inspired skincare, makeup and spa expertise. Combining scientific research with a close understanding of customers’ needs, the brand has built an international presence while preserving its French heritage. As an employer, Clarins brings together specialists across research, product development, manufacturing, retail and corporate functions, united by a commitment to quality and service. Its emphasis on responsible beauty, innovation and long-term stewardship offers a distinctive professional environment for those seeking to contribute to an established beauty house with an entrepreneurial spirit.
Clarins is seeking a Formulation Instrumental Characterization Intern to join its R&D team at the Raw Material Center in Pontoise, contributing to formulation research and the development of innovative instrumental methods. The six-month internship starts in March 2027 and focuses on modelling process impacts, characterizing formulations, generating reliable data and sharing technical expertise.
Role & Responsibilities
- Contribute to R&D projects generating knowledge about formulation manufacturing and behaviour.
- Contribute to innovation projects developing new instrumental approaches at Clarins.
- Share and disseminate technical expertise across the group.
- Understand and model the impact of process parameters on the use of a raw-material category in formulations, through formulation preparation, instrumental characterization and modelling.
- Develop new instrumental approaches to quantify new characteristics of cosmetic formulations, including method creation, result reliability and validation, and data generation.
Qualifications
- Curiosity and initiative, with an ability to explore new avenues.
- Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills to interpret data and results and formulate recommendations.
- Scientific rigour in applying methodologies, following protocols and maintaining documentation.
- Adaptability and flexibility in a fast-changing environment with shifting priorities.
- Solution-oriented, pragmatic approach focused on implementation and feasibility.
- Preparing a Bac+5 degree in chemistry, cosmetic formulation, materials science or an equivalent field, with command of scientific concepts in colloids and polymers and characterization of their properties.
- Initial experience in instrumental characterization or technical formulation preparation.
- Good knowledge of Excel or other data-processing tools.
- Good command of basic statistical methods; knowledge of advanced methods such as regression and design of experiments, and of statistical tools, is an advantage.
- Proficiency in bibliographic research, scientific report writing and data synthesis.
- English at B2 level.
Skills
Experience
Initial experience in instrumental characterization or technical formulation preparation.
Education
Preparing a Bac+5 degree in chemistry, cosmetic formulation, materials science or an equivalent field.
Workplace
This position is based in Pontoise, Île-de-France, France, within easy reach of Paris.
Explore jobs in Île-de-France or in France.
Benefits
Transport costs covered at 65%; works council (CSE); company restaurant; Wellpass (Gymlib) subscriptions; internship allowance of up to €1,650 depending on degree level; unlimited access to the Digital Learning platform; support from teams and a student community; potential opportunities after the internship.
Culture
As a family-owned French beauty group, Clarins combines an entrepreneurial spirit with a culture rooted in botanical expertise, scientific innovation and close attention to customers. Its workplace values collaboration, the transmission of know-how and a shared commitment to responsible beauty, connecting professional excellence with care for people and nature.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Clarins, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Formulation Characterization Intern», «Cosmetic Science Intern», «R&D Formulation Intern», «Instrumental Analysis Intern», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.