Principal Scientist

We make pet food taste great! For over 30 years, AFB International has been providing pet food solutions that enrich the lives of pets and their people. Our palatants are specially designed to make pet foods, treats and supplements taste better, ensuring pets receive the vital nutrients they need. We know wagging tails, licking whiskers and empty bowls equal happy pets and happy pet parents. Join AFB and you'll be a part of a team of highly skilled professionals that provide the greatest contribution to our success as an organization. Our team members are diverse, creative, passionate experts who are genuinely dedicated to our mission, our customers, and the pets we serve worldwide.

Job Description

The successful candidate will lead and develop new products, concepts, and technology platforms, working closely with the the Research and Development Team as an expert technical individual contributor. Leads, plans and organizes trials, experiments and renovations. Works closely with department managers to maintain alignment on overall department goals and customer needs. Specializes in scaling up bench formulations to pilot and manufacturing facilities, collaborating with engineering and operations personnel across the organization. Supports establishment, commissioning, and expansion of R&D facilities and capabilities globally. Represents the organization via excellent written and oral formal and informal communication.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Responsible for initiating concepts and developing new products, line extensions, and technology platforms.
• Serves as a Subject Matter Expert to the organization on multiple pet food science and technology subjects.
• Leads multiple development projects using prior knowledge, literature research, appropriate experimental design, scientific techniques and data driven decisions to execute from concept to validation of a final product.
• Expert in scaling up bench formulas, leveraging various food-grade pilot and manufacturing process equipment (liquids, solids, particulates, mixing, extrusion, canning/retort, etc.). Mentors, develops new capabilities, and supports the establishment of global facilities in this area.
• Develops and delivers engaging technical presentations to diverse audiences, including internal and external customers, colleagues, field experts, and general public.
• Initiates expert-level technical writing efforts, such as abstracts, scientific journal articles, and industry reference materials.
• Keeps up to date on new developments in the relevant knowledge areas such as human and pet food industry landscape and trends, new raw materials, packaging, and innovative technologies.
• Proactively partners with Regulatory counterparts to drive compliant innovative solutions, understanding and articulating regional differences and implications thereof.
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced, dynamic working environment.
• Knowledge of flavor/recipe design and ability to communicate technical know-how to on-site R&D personnel, quality, operations & external customers as needed.

• Works closely with manufacturing on integrating and adapting R&D formulas to full production quantities upon commercialization.
• Reports and evaluate results from experimental trials. Maintains accurate files of all R&D work completed. Maintain all project files and Lab Notebooks as required
  • Must be able to work with MS office, LIMS systems.
  • Design experiments using DOE Stat Pro, Stat Ease to create formulas and recipes for testing.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Required:
  • Bachelor or Master of Science Degree in Food Science/Technology, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering
  • 10-15 years of industry experience, emphasis on Product and Process development.
  • Expertise in multiple areas of Food Manufacturing Process scaleability/scale-up.
• Desired:
  • Ph.D. in Food Science/Technology, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related field of study.
  • 15+ years of experience in new product development in the food industry.
  • Experience and expertise in one or more of the following: canning/retort, extrusion, spray drying, agglomeration technologies, equipment, and manufacturing process.
  • Knowledge and experience in regulatory compliance, especially regarding food/pet food products (domestic and international).
  • Knowledge and experience in food safety and GMP, especially regarding food/pet food products (domestic and international).
  • Experience working in a food manufacturing plant environment.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of safety practices applicable to food research laboratory environments and ability to follow designated safety procedures.
• Ability to maintain accurate records relating to jobs as they are planned performed and completed. Skill to use electronic means for recording data.
• Knowledge of properties and applications of ingredients and materials involved in formulation and the skill to safely handle them.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills to interact effectively with peers, co-workers, scientists, researchers, supervisors, customers and vendors as required.

• Superior technical writing capabilities for initiating materials such as intellectual property documents, scientific abstracts, posters, and journal articles, industry reference materials, and customer communications.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals. Ability to effectively present information to team members, top management, public groups, etc.
• Proficient skill level in MS Office Applications such as Word and Excel.
• Knowledge of algebraic, calculus, and statistics mathematical concepts, theory, and application.
• Knowledge of food product manufacturing equipment including but not limited to meat grinders, canning equipment, extrusion machines, spray drying, and dry blending and high temperature/pressure process equipment is highly desired.

AFB International is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, national origin, or veteran status.