This position is located in Reston, VA
This position is not remote work
Must be legally authorized to work in the USPURPOSE -- Support, build and scale a differentiated wet pet food business focused on premium feline nutrition. This role will lead the development of innovative wet pet food products from concept through commercialization while serving as a cross-functional technical expert across formulation, processing, regulatory compliance, ingredient sourcing, packaging, manufacturing, quality and commercialization.
- Possess deep knowledge of the North American pet food industry and be comfortable operating in a fast-moving entrepreneurial environment where both OEM/private label and branded product development are priorities.
- Build a nutrition-first wet pet food platform centered around tuna-based formulations, ingredient integrity, manufacturing excellence, and long-term category differentiation.
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES -Product Development & Formulation- Lead development of wet pet food products including:
- Complete & balanced diets
- Complementary/topper products
- Functional nutrition products
- Treats and specialty formulations
- Develop formulations aligned with:
- AAFCO nutrient profiles
- NRC recommendations
- FDA/CVM regulations
- Customer and retailer requirements
- Work with internal and external nutritionists, veterinarians, and formulators to optimize:
- Palatability
- Nutritional performance
- Texture and appearance
- Ingredient functionality
- Cost targets
- Evaluate novel proteins, seafood ingredients, functional inclusions and emerging nutrition trends
Wet Pet Food Processing & Manufacturing- Serve as technical lead for wet pet food manufacturing processes including:
- Retort systems
- Thermal processing
- Sterilization validation
- Emulsion systems
- Mixing and batching
- Filling and seaming
- Texture and viscosity management
- Support manufacturing scale-up and commercialization activities.
- Troubleshoot production, quality, formulation, and process-related issues.
- Collaborate with operations teams on continuous improvement initiatives.
- Support new production line commissioning and optimization.
Regulatory, Quality & Food Safety- Ensure products meet all applicable:
- AAFCO requirements
- FDA regulations
- State registration requirements
- Labeling compliance standards
- Import/export standards
- Partner with QA and regulatory teams on:
- Ingredient approvals
- Product claims
- Nutritional substantiation
- Feeding protocols and studies
- Shelf-life validation
- HACCP and food safety systems
- Support customer technical documentation and specification management.
Ingredient & Supply Chain Collaboration- Work closely with procurement and supply chain teams on:
- Ingredient functionality
- Cost optimization
- Alternative sourcing
- Supplier qualification
- Raw material specifications
- Evaluate seafood ingredient quality including tuna, fish oils, fish meals, and related marine ingredients.
- Understand ingredient variability and its impact on formulation and manufacturing performance.
Packaging & Commercialization- Support packaging development for:
- Cans
- Multipacks
- Pouches
- Sachets
- Partner with commercial teams to align product architecture with market positioning and retailer requirements.
- Assist with technical customer presentations and OEM business development opportunities.
KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE/COMPETENCIES - Education: - Required Bachelor's degree in Animal Nutrition, Food Science, Pet Food Science, Meat Science, Chemical Engineering, Biological Sciences or related field.
- Master's Degree
- PhD highly preferred for candidates leading advanced formulation, nutritional research, or innovation initiatives.
Experience:- 7+ years of experience in pet food R&D, preferably with wet pet food expertise.
- Required understanding of:
- Wet pet food processing
- Pet food formulation systems
- Ingredient functionality
- Commercial manufacturing environments
- Experience taking products from concept through commercialization.
- Retort technology preferred
- Familiar with AAFCO regulations
- Strong cross-functional communication and project leadership skills.
- Experience with seafood or tuna-based formulations.
- Experience in OEM/private label manufacturing environments.
- Familiarity with North American retail and e-commerce pet food channels.
- Experience managing external laboratories, feeding studies and co-manufacturing partners.
- Understanding premium pet nutrition trends and functional ingredients.
- Master's degree or PhD in a related scientific field.
- Willing to travel as needed. 40%-50% Domestic and International, passport required.
The successful candidate should possess working knowledge across:
- Pet nutrition
- Wet pet food processing
- Thermal processing/retort systems
- Formulation software
- Regulatory compliance
- Ingredient functionality
- Packaging systems
- Quality systems
- Commercial manufacturing
- Supply chain and sourcing
- Product commercialization
- Palatability and feeding studies
- Cost optimization
- OEM/private label development
- E-commerce and retail product requirements
If you have a disability and cannot apply online, please mail your resume and cover letter to:
StarKist Co.
1875 Explorer Street
10th Floor
Reston, VA 20190
ATTN: Human Resources
Please note: this option is for individuals with disabilities only.
