- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Entry-Level
- Compensation
- $70,000–80,000/year
- Posted
- Sep 22, 2026
About Estée Lauder Companies
The Estée Lauder Companies is a global leader in prestige beauty, founded in 1946 by Estée and Joseph Lauder and built on an enduring belief in creativity, high-touch service, and entrepreneurial spirit. As an employer, the Group offers talent the scale of an international house with the energy of distinctive brands across skincare, makeup, fragrance, and hair care. Its culture values innovation, inclusion, learning, and responsible growth, inviting professionals to shape consumer experiences from laboratory to counter, digital platform to boardroom. Employees join a purpose-led organization where heritage, artistry, and scientific excellence meet to define the future of luxury beauty.
The Estée Lauder Companies seeks an Associate Scientist for its Global Research & Innovation division to bridge consumer insights and product innovation. This role delivers technical products research by translating consumer beliefs, needs, and desires into critical product design features and technologies. The position collaborates across categories on platform and upstream research projects with Advanced Technologies, Formulation, Packaging, and Processing innovation partners, serving as the voice of the consumer to guide technology innovation teams.
Role & Responsibilities
- Design, conduct, and analyze consumer research projects to uncover and translate consumer needs and desires into critical product design features and experiential cues
- Define targets and acceptable performance ranges for products and packaging; develop consumer models that link innovation choices to desired benefits
- Develop technical benefit statements and core claim spaces for upstream unbranded technologies
- Ensure holistic technical design across product, packaging/device, and regimen components
- Plan and execute assigned research projects reliably and punctually, maintaining quality standards and sharing learnings with cross-functional teams
- Build category understanding of ELC product portfolios and packaging through technical analysis and data generation
- Recognize and flag unexpected learnings during research execution
- Become competent in standard operating procedures and research methodologies within the department
- Support consumer model development and performance specification establishment
- Participate in corporate and global R&I programs that drive organizational capability and individual development
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science or Engineering in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, Anthropology, Consumer Science, Sensory Science, or related field
- Demonstrated learning agility and commitment to striving for excellence and follow-through
- Embrace and initiate change; build collaborative relationships
- Strong desire to learn and high motivation
- Understanding of the scientific method applied to problem-solving
- Displayed use of the scientific method in past internship or undergraduate research, leveraging multiple information sources to improve products, experiences, or processes
- Previous experience designing, conducting, and analyzing consumer research to translate consumer beliefs and desires into design features
- Demonstrated interest in understanding consumer and people psychology, needs, and desires and their impact on preferences and choices
Skills
Experience
Entry-level position suitable for recent graduates with internship or undergraduate research experience in consumer science, product research, or related disciplines. Previous demonstrated use of consumer research methodologies to inform product or process improvements is preferred.
Education
Bachelor of Science or Engineering degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, Anthropology, Consumer Science, Sensory Science, or closely related field of study.
Workplace
This position is based in Melville, New York, USA, within easy reach of New York.
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Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 70,000 to USD 80,000 per annum.
Benefits
Health insurance coverage (medical, dental, and vision); wellness and family support programs; life and disability insurance; retirement savings plans; education-related programs; paid holidays and vacation time; competitive incentive compensation programs with potential commission or bonus eligibility.
Culture
The Estée Lauder Companies fosters a collaborative, inclusive workplace where creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, and a passion for prestige beauty are deeply valued. As a global house of distinctive brands, it offers employees an environment that encourages innovation, professional growth, and a shared commitment to excellence and consumer inspiration.
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 Estée Lauder Companies, 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 «Research Scientist», «Product Innovation Scientist», «Technical Research Associate», «Consumer Science Specialist», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.