R&D – Associate Scientist

Company Description: At Instinct®, our purpose is to feed the unspoken bonds between pets, their people, and the planet. As The FreshRaw Brand, we believe nothing is fresher than raw and that raw nutrition has the power to help pets live healthier, happier lives. Guided by our leadership capabilities — acting as Change Agents, driven by Consumer Obsession, and fueled by a Challenger Mindset — we’re redefining what’s possible in pet food and challenging the status quo to create a better future for pets, people, and the planet. From our St. Louis headquarters to our Center of Excellence Raw Food Kitchens in Lincoln, Nebraska, we’re united by a shared passion for making a meaningful difference through the power of raw.

Instinct® is part of the family-owned group, Agrolimen, who owns leading pet food and human food businesses in the US, China, Europe, and Africa.

Position Summary: As a Research & Development Associate Scientist, responsibilities involve scheduling and conducting plant trials, evaluating and giving feedback on product test runs, and the evaluation of new ingredients. Working with outside labs to submit samples for nutritional analysis, collecting, summarizing, and tracking data, and scheduling product testing with outside vendors. Work cross functionally to write specifications for new products, new raw materials, manage existing specifications, and lead management of change for product or specification changes.

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Proactively manage cross functional interactions during the development and commercialization process
• Coordinate and manage test run process
• Data collection, entry, analysis, and reporting
• Responsible for all testing protocols including digestibility, palatability and chemical testing
• Establish routine stability studies
• Partner with procurement to search for alternative ingredients for new product development and cost optimization projects
• Develop ingredient and finished product specifications for all product forms
• Manage and update existing specifications
• Effective communication with all departments regarding changes with products or processes
• Understanding of food safety including SOP’s, GMP’s and HACCP requirements
• General knowledge of animal nutrition
• General knowledge of AAFCO requirements

Physical Requirements:

• Position involves work performed in a manufacturing environment with temperatures of 40 -50 F.
• Position involves Lifting of up to 40# to perform analysis or during product trials.

Personal Attributes

• Comfortable working at a rapid pace with the ability to make decisions and problem solve
• Able to work independently and take the lead when required
• Detailed oriented
• Strong execution orientation
• Inquisitive, solution-oriented and creative
• High integrity and ability to exercise good judgment
• Exceptional interpersonal skills. Ability to work with multiple functions
• Quality minded
• Must be punctual and dependable
• Strong organizational skills (ability to manage multiple projects)
• Must have strong verbal and written communication skills

Basic Qualifications:

• BS Degree in Food Science, Chemistry, or Animal Science is preferred
• 3 years relevant work experience in product development in the food industry; experience in pet food is desirable
• Strong understanding of product development, food manufacturing, and processing equipment.
• Product formulation and formulation chemistry with food products, knowledge of functional ingredients desirable.
• Working knowledge of product development protocols, including formula development, testing, specifications setting.
• Basic project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Excel and Word.

Relocation: Not available.

Travel Requirements: Requires travel up to 10% of time.

Compensation and Benefits

Highly competitive compensation package includes health and dental insurance, life and AD&D insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, short and long-term disability, paid time off, Purpose Days off for company partner volunteer opportunities, and 401k with company match.

Our Instinct is to CHAMPION Diversity

At Instinct, we are as passionate about our people as we are about the pets we call family. We are committed to inclusion, empowerment, and respect. We believe that just like our pets, what sets us apart unleashes our greatest strengths. We thrive on the ability to not only empower people to transform the lives of pets through raw nutrition, but also to empower each other to inspire a culture that celebrates our differences. Our unique approach to pet food is what makes us who we are as a company, and our individual identities are what makes us a successful, innovative, authentic team.