Jobs in Singapore: “How my interest in cosmetics led me to become a scientist at a British MNC”

Nabilah Aquilah Amir Abas, 26, is an Application Scientist at the British specialty chemicals MNC Croda. After graduating from university, she joined Croda’s two-year Graduate Programme, where she did stints at different departments in the company before landing a full-time position in the Sensory team. Nabilah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from the National University
of Singapore.
 

1. What is your role exactly and can you describe what a regular day at work is like?

I’m part of the Sensory team at Croda and my job as an Application Scientist is to conduct testing on the ingredients we produce and sell to brand manufacturers. The sensory evaluations we do help ensure that the claims ingredients have, in terms of texture, fragrance and effects, are accurate before they go into skincare products sold globally. We are also involved in establishing new, innovative test methodologies that allow us to do our job more effectively.

Besides working in the lab, I collaborate closely with the marketing and sales departments, as well as scientists from both the local and global teams, on product claims for new ingredients that
we’re developing.
 

2. How did you end up in this role at Croda?

I have had an interest in cosmetics since young which was why I chose to pursue a Diploma in Perfumery and Cosmetic Science at Singapore Polytechnic. While studying chemistry in university, I took up an internship in Croda under the Personal Care Applications team, where I was involved in research on product formulations and the testing of new ingredients for sunscreens. This experience gave me a better understanding of the work the technical teams do here in Croda’s labs.

After I graduated, I decided to participate in Croda’s Graduate Programme which is a talent development initiative they have for fresh graduates. As a Graduate Trainee, I did stints across multiple functions, from Personal Care Marketing to Formulation. It was fun seeing how everything came together through the close teamwork of the different departments. I eventually landed a full-time role in the Sensory team.
 

3. What’s most meaningful to you about your role?

What I find most rewarding about my job is that it has given me the opportunity to be involved in cutting-edge research - I even got to put my name on academic papers that have been published at international conferences!

An achievement I’m extremely proud of is the neurofeedback device that my team developed as part of our efforts to build new capabilities in neuroscience. The device measures a person’s brainwaves to determine how he or she reacts to certain ingredients. With this data, we are able to make more comprehensive evaluations during the testing process.