“We love the environment – the beaches, the bushwalks. I can bike to work, and the kids will have a short bus ride to school. I’m excited to build more connections locally and enjoy all the South Coast has to offer.” 

Growing up in Germany, Felix was always captivated by the idea of Australia – its vast landscapes, unique wildlife, and the Dreamtime stories of the First Nations peoples. After finishing school, he pursued a degree in Chemistry and later moved away from home to complete his PhD. It was during this time that he met his supervisor, an Australian, who would play a pivotal role in shaping his future. 

When the supervisor accepted a role at the University of Melbourne, Felix seized the opportunity to transfer his PhD studies to Australia. The transition was both exciting and challenging. “Undertaking this work was stressful at times,” Felix admits. “That’s when I decided to try yoga to manage the pressure.” A chance encounter at a yoga studio turned out to be life-changing – it’s where he met his future wife. 

Following his PhD, Felix continued into postdoctoral research, which led him to Perth, where he worked on nanoparticle development, including zinc oxide for sunscreen formulations. After several moves, the couple eventually settled in the Hunter Valley. There, Felix transitioned into working in animal pharmaceutical healthcare and later in organic skincare. “Once I started making skincare products, my wife was much more interested in my job as she got to sample the products!” he laughs. 

Another chance meeting would again change the course of Felix’s life. At a Christmas party hosted by the Australian Society of Cosmetic Chemists, he struck up a conversation with John Lamont, Managing Director of Nowchem Pharma and Skincare. “We were just chatting about raw materials and how they might solve some formulation issues,” Felix recalls. After a family trip to country Victoria, he made a stop in Nowra to visit John and take a look around. That visit resulted in a job offer as a Formulation Chemist at Nowchem. 

Today, Felix commutes weekly between Nowra and the Hunter Valley, where his family remains until their eldest daughter completes Year 6. The plan is for the whole family to relocate to the South Coast by the end of 2025. “We know it’s only temporary,” Felix says. “We’re all looking forward to enjoying the South Coast lifestyle together.” 

In the meantime, Felix is making the most of his time in the region, exploring the local bushwalking tracks. “The forests remind me of where I grew up, but they’re also completely different,” he reflects. “As a child in a cold climate, I imagined a place on the other side of the world that was warm year-round. Now, I’m living in that place.” 

At Nowchem, Felix is thriving. “I love my role, formulating serums and creams is both a science and an art. It’s about how ingredients interact, but also about the feel on the skin, which is harder to quantify. We start small in the lab and then scale up once we’re happy with the result.” 

Packaging also plays a key part in formulation. “You might have an oily product that doesn’t suit certain packaging,” he explains. “Or something like lip balm, where the product has to be molten to fill tiny tubes. We use special moulds to get that right.” 

Felix is also passionate about mentoring emerging scientists. “We had a student from Wollongong join us through a Women in STEM internship. She was researching organic sunscreen actives and how they react to light. She even presented her findings and won an award at a recent industry conference. Sunscreen formulation is demanding – it has to be tested rigorously for safety – so it’s exciting to see new minds engaging with this field.” 

Felix values the culture at Nowchem. “Being family-owned doesn’t always guarantee a great environment, but John really makes an effort to create a positive workplace. He’s a people person. The whole team works well together. Manufacturing can be demanding, but here there’s mutual respect. People understand when life happens, like needing to bring a child in for a short time, and everyone supports each other.” 

Looking ahead, Felix is eager to have his family join him full-time in Nowra. “We love the environment – the beaches, the bushwalks. I can bike to work, and the kids will have a short bus ride to school. I’m excited to build more connections locally and enjoy all the South Coast has to offer.” 

The South Coast is not only known for its natural beauty and relaxed lifestyle, but is also emerging as a hub for diverse and often unexpected careers. Professionals like Felix are finding fulfilling, specialised roles in industries you might not expect to find here, proving that the South Coast isn’t just a great place to live, but a place where your career can thrive alongside your lifestyle.