Pet Nutritionist

Pet Nutrition Specialist

Full-Time Opportunity | Flexible Location (Wisconsin or Remote)

A growing organization within the pet nutrition and food manufacturing industry is seeking a knowledgeable and detail-oriented Pet Nutrition Specialist to support formulation integrity, regulatory compliance, and product innovation initiatives. This role plays a critical part in ensuring that all pet food products meet nutritional standards, comply with global regulatory requirements, and align with the company's quality and cost objectives. The position may be based at a Wisconsin site or performed remotely, depending on candidate qualifications and business needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a strong understanding of the product development lifecycle, from initial concept through commercialization, with a focus on nutritional integrity and feasibility.
• Support the development and reformulation of pet food products, ensuring alignment with defined nutritional profiles, ingredient availability, and cost constraints.
• Partner cross-functionally with research and development, quality assurance, procurement, and regulatory teams to maintain an accurate and up-to-date nutrient database.
• Provide technical expertise to support product registration processes, including domestic and international regulatory submissions, and review packaging materials for compliance.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal teams, external partners, and ingredient suppliers to ensure ingredient quality, consistency, and compliance.
• Stay current on global pet food regulations (including North America and Europe) and provide proactive recommendations regarding ingredient usage, specifications, and compliance considerations.
• Continuously evaluate and improve existing product formulations with an emphasis on cost efficiency, ingredient optimization, and overall product quality.
• Work closely with quality and food safety teams to ensure that manufacturing standards, procedures, and testing protocols are robust and effectively executed.
• Design and implement ingredient and finished product testing programs to meet industry standards, including AAFCO compliance, while balancing risk and cost considerations.
• Establish appropriate testing frequency and methodologies to monitor nutritional consistency and ingredient variability.
• Stay informed on emerging trends, scientific advancements, and new technologies within animal nutrition to support innovation and maintain a competitive edge.
• Represent the organization at industry events, training sessions, and conferences, and occasionally participate in customer visits when needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in animal science, companion animal nutrition, food science, or a related field is required; an advanced degree (M.S. or higher) is preferred.
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical information effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced, research-driven environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, particularly Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Technical Expertise

• Solid understanding of global pet food regulations, including those in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
• Familiarity with food safety and quality systems such as HACCP, SQF, BRC, and ISO standards.
• Experience using commercial pet food formulation software (e.g., Concept5 or similar platforms) is highly desirable.