Role: Intern - Research & Development Chemist
Location: Bangalore
Qualification: M.Sc and above in Chemistry.
About the job
Open Ego is a fragrance technology company that aims to bring ancient wisdom and modern science together to bring back the glory of fragrance heritage of India. The design studio works in digital and physical spaces and will have a wide range of opportunities to be creative and experiment. We are looking for people who are comfortable in a fast-paced environment, have a belongingness to the cultural heritage of India and willing to be part of our nation building efforts.
Role Overview
We are seeking a hands-on Intern - Research Chemist who shapes olfactory experiences. You will be embedded in delivery teams working alongside business enterprise leaders, product developers, brand teams, and client teams to design scents, formulations, and sensory experiences that are distinctive, wearable, and built to work in the real world.
Key Responsibilities
Note: If you do not have fragrance domain experience it is still ok, if there is experience in related areas.
- Be an original works creator in Fragrance design or a related area where a good understanding of organic chemistry and molecular chemistry is critical.
- Apply a strong grounding in organic and molecular chemistry to understand raw material behaviour, structure-odour relationships, and formulation stability.
- Develop high-fidelity fragrance mockups (mods) and sample batches using industry-standard tools and materials.
- Conduct field research, consumer panels, and sensory evaluation before finalising a single output. Collaborate with chemists, evaluators, and production teams to ensure faithful translation of concepts into finished formulations.
- Build and maintain scalable scent libraries and accord systems with reusable bases and building blocks.
- Design category-specific olfactory patterns: fine fragrance, personal care, home and ambient, and functional/industrial scent applications.
- Design for fine fragrance, personal care, and functional products is an important part of this role — the same research-grounded rigour applies to mass-market as it does to bespoke work. Every application matters.
- Champion green chemistry principles — sustainable sourcing, biodegradable materials, and reduced-impact formulation approaches — as a core part of the design process.
- Contribute to OpenEgo’s olfactory thinking, frameworks, and IP that reflect how we approach sensory experience design.
- Operate effectively in a fast-paced, multi-project environment with tight timelines and shifting priorities.
Required Qualifications
- Research acumen in organic/molecular chemistry, fragrance design/perfumery experience, chemical engineering across fine fragrance, personal care, or functional product categories.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Cosmetic Science, Perfumery, or a related field; formal perfumery/fragrance school training is a strong plus.
- Extremely good understanding of organic chemistry and molecular chemistry — structure-odour relationships, functional groups, and raw material synthesis/behaviour.
- Working knowledge of green chemistry principles and sustainable formulation practices.
- Knowledge of relevant safety and regulatory standards for ingredients.
- Excellent communication skills — able to present and defend olfactory decisions clearly to both technical teams and non-technical client stakeholders.
- Comfortable working at pace, with minimal supervision, taking ownership of the fragrance development process end to end and driving work forward independently.
- Comfortable in a consulting/studio environment — multi-client, fast-context-switching, outcome-focused. Ability to take on stretch goals.
Preferred Qualifications
- Good grasp of organic and molecular chemistry and modern technologies
- Experience designing scent for AI-driven or smart-home/ambient product categories is a plus.
- Familiarity with fragrance encapsulation and delivery-system technologies is a plus.
- Advanced coursework or specialisation in green/sustainable chemistry.
- Exposure to service design and consumer field research methodologies.
- Exposure to industrial/functional fragrance (cleaning, industrial, OT-adjacent applications) is a big plus.
If you are in South Bangalore, you have a locational advantage.
Pay: Up to ₹120,000.00 per year
Application Question(s):
- Are you willing to undergo a background check, in accordance with local law/regulations?
- Our clients will be deep tech startup and we have to thrive in a dynamic, challenging environments that will need quick turnarounds. Are you flexible with your working hours?
- Initiative, Humility, Trust and Excellence are our core values. Will you be able to practice these values at Finiteloop?
Work Location: In person
