Job Title: UI - Senior R&D Associate
Location: Mumbai HURC
About Unilever International:
Unilever International (UI) is Unilever’s White Space and Growth Engine, focused on creating new business opportunities beyond the company’s established markets and channels. With a turnover of over €1.4 billion, UI is one of Unilever’s fastest-growing and most profitable business units, operating with an entrepreneurial, agile, and innovation-led mindset.
UI identifies and unlocks untapped growth opportunities by taking Unilever’s iconic brands into new geographies, new channels, and new consumers. Acting as internal entrepreneurs, UI introduces brands such as Dove, Lux, Lifebuoy, Rexona, TRESemmé, Vaseline, Close UP, Pepsodent, Signal into high-potential markets and white-space geographies, including Korea, Mongolia, Pacific Islands, and other emerging growth regions.
Beyond geographic expansion, UI pioneers growth through non-traditional and rapidly evolving channels, including E-commerce, Health & Beauty, Discounters, Travel Retail, and Institutional Sales, tough Geographies etc. The business also serves overseas diaspora communities, bringing trusted home brands to consumers around the world while building entirely new market opportunities for Unilever.
What makes UI unique is its speed, agility, and start-up mindset within a global organization. Teams work across multiple categories, markets, and functions, often managing highly complex projects with accelerated timelines. Employees are empowered to challenge conventions, take ownership, and drive end-to-end delivery of innovations that create meaningful business impact.
For R&D professionals, UI offers an exciting opportunity to work on global innovation, market-first launches, formulation development, scaling up technologies across diverse manufacturing networks, and solving consumer needs across varied cultural and regulatory landscapes. The role requires a high degree of collaboration, adaptability, and entrepreneurial thinking to successfully bring innovations to life across the world.
At UI, we don't just follow growth—we create it. Through innovation, speed, and an intrapreneurial spirit, UI continues to open new frontiers for Unilever brands and consumers globally.
Job Responsibilities
Identify and deploy optimized oral care formulations across markets, balancing efficacy (whitening, sensitivity, gum care), consumer preferences, cost targets, and regulatory compliance.
Lead oral formulation development and prototyping in close partnership with GDC/RDC, ensuring OTIF delivery for exclusive UI oral projects (toothpaste, mouthwash, whitening formats).
Partner with UI RA to enable timely regulatory approvals (fluoride levels, active systems, claims substantiation) across key markets.
Develop strong oral care claims, demos (whitening, cavity protection, sensitivity relief), and social-first content aligned to consumer benefits and project needs.
Leverage oral category expertise, demo frameworks, and KBS toolkit to adapt global technologies effectively within UI.
Generate and implement cost optimization initiatives (base formulation, actives, flavours) in collaboration with BGs, aligned to R&D governance.
Drive key oral R&D deliverables including PC/oral strategy, trend scouting (natural, whitening, therapeutic), innovation OTIF, and claims pipeline.
Execute lab pilot batches for oral NPDs and ensure seamless scale-up, technology transfer, and factory readiness.
Engage closely with factories to support oral launches, MPT trials, and process optimization.
Collaborate with GDC and CDC teams to align on oral mix design, active systems, and deployment requirements.
Leverage digital tools and data platforms to independently extract global oral R&D insights and benchmark formulations.
Ensure timely implementation of regulatory updates (fluoride, CMRs, banned/restricted ingredients) across oral mixes and sourcing units.
Drive rigor in oral project delivery through structured risk assessment, safety, and quality compliance.
Execute projects aligned to best practices while proactively managing stakeholders through clear, data-driven updates.
Skills Required:
Proven experience in Oral Care formulation development and scale-up, with a strong understanding of end-to-end product development.
Passion for innovation and openness to explore new technologies, formats, and growth opportunities.
Social-first mindset with capability to develop compelling claims, demonstrations, and knowledge-building (KB) assets.
Hands-on and flexible approach to support lab, pilot, and scale-up batches as required.
Willingness to travel to manufacturing sites, markets, and project locations.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple countries, clusters, and cross-functional teams.
Agile, proactive, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, global environment.
Qualifications & Experience: Master's in science stream with 5-8 years of experience. At least 50% experience in oral is preferred.
Skills Required
- Master's degree in a science stream
- 5-8 years of R&D experience
- Proven experience in oral care formulation development and scale-up
- At least 50% experience in oral care
- Hands-on experience with lab, pilot and scale-up batches
- Knowledge of regulatory requirements for oral care (fluoride levels, actives, claims substantiation)
- Ability to develop claims, demonstrations, and knowledge-building assets (social-first mindset)
- Experience with technology transfer and factory readiness/MPT trials
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills across countries and functions
- Willingness to travel to manufacturing sites, markets and project locations
- Experience leveraging digital tools and data platforms for R&D insights
- Passion for innovation and openness to new technologies and formats
Unilever Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Unilever and has not been reviewed or approved by Unilever.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and occupational health support alongside a 24/7 employee assistance program. Wellbeing offerings such as health checks, resilience tools, and counseling support the perceived depth of health-related benefits.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) match that reaches up to 5% of base salary, strengthening the overall value of the package. Share and savings options are also referenced as part of longer-term financial support beyond salary.
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Flexible Benefits — Benefits customization is enabled through tools such as a “My Reward” system and a “Benefits Envelope” that allows employees to personalize selections. Flexible working approaches are also associated with improved overall satisfaction, reinforcing perceived choice and adaptability in the total rewards offering.
Unilever Insights
What We Do
Be part of the world’s most successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well-loved around the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We promote innovation, big and small, to make our business win and grow; and we believe in business as a force for good. Unleash your curiosity, challenge ideas and disrupt processes; use your energy to make this happen. Our brilliant business leaders and colleagues provide mentorship and inspiration, so you can be at your best. Our portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos and everyday household care products. We produce world-leading brands including Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s and Omo, alongside trusted local names and innovative-forward thinking brands like Ben & Jerry’s, The Dollar Shave Club and Dermalogica. Every individual here can bring their purpose to life through their work. Join us and you’ll be surrounded by inspiring leaders and supportive peers. Among them, you’ll channel your purpose, bring fresh ideas to the table, and simply be you. As you work to make a real impact on the business and the world, we’ll work to help you become a better you.
