R&D Project Manager, Pet Nutritional Products

Description

• Initiate and assist with the development of products and processes with all intra and extramural functional areas (Formulations, Analytical Chemistry, Toxicology, Regulatory Affairs, Legal, Quality Assurance, Marketing, New Product Development, Technical Services, Procurement and Production) and coordinate the activities of these various functions.
• Formulate comprehensive development plans for each new proposed product and work closely during the development of products to assure that all involved parties are informed of time schedules and critical deadlines.
• Design suitable stability studies for feed supplements and other products to validate shelf life and ensure that the components within the product remain stable and label guarantees are supported for the duration of the expected shelf life of the product.
• Select suitable analytical laboratories to analyze for nutrient content of supplement type products.
• Provide technical support to the marketing department before and after product launch and review existing and new product labels and marketing collateral as requested by marketing and/or regulatory/legal departments.
• Collaborate with New Business Development and Marketing to investigate potential products and proposed product concepts for possible development in the U.S. and internationally.
• Conduct literature searches on active ingredients and summarize, particularly for claims associated with feed supplements.
• Work closely with regulatory affairs and other departments, (e.g., procurement, manufacturing, quality assurance, marketing) to assure that a product meets company requirements and applicable regulations.
• Participate in non-R&D related activities such as QA/Regulatory compliance, revisions or creation of new standard operating procedures.
• Attend scientific meetings, continuing education courses and keep abreast of professional publications and newest developments in the animal health industry.

• Master of Science (MS) degree in Animal Sciences at minimum. Applicants with advanced degrees (PhD, DVM) are encouraged.
• Knowledge of NASC and AAFCO regulation of animal feeds, supplements and feed ingredients preferred.
• Working knowledge and background in equine science and nutrition and/or pet nutrition.
• Must have 5-10 years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience in research and/or product development, project management.
• Excellent computer software skills, to include word processing, spreadsheets and database management. Current environment is Microsoft Office.
• Must have excellent communication skills and be able to effectively operate in a team environment with both internal and external collaborators; successful candidates will utilize influencing skills to realize success in cross-functional teams.
• Must have excellent leadership skills as demonstrated by the ability to elicit superior performance from other stakeholders, many of whom are not technically trained and may not understand the regulatory and/or scientific basis for certain project management activities.
• Detail orientated
• Able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• Strong project management skills required

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