At Stella & Chewy’s, it’s our mission to help pets and pet parents thrive through the love of raw. If that noble mission appeals to you, we’d love to talk to you about joining our pack. We are located in Oak Creek, WI, a suburb south of Milwaukee. Our teams make this company everything it is today, and you’ll feel this energy throughout every aspect of our workplace. We value working with people of different talents, experiences, and backgrounds. Here at Stella & Chewy’s, we show up as our best and authentic selves. Come join our pack! 

Under the general direction of and reporting to the company Senior Director of Research and Development, Sr. Scientist is responsible for supporting the success of developing innovative pet food products as well as renovation of existing products with focus on freeze dried products. This role involves conducting research and development to improve freeze dried meat products and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance product innovation and quality. Sr. Scientist will leverage technical expertise and scientific method thinking skills to bring together consumer needs and product possibilities to both winning and creative innovation, as well as product improvement and maintenance. This role encompasses the oversight of the entire R&D process from prototype development to product launch.

Sr. Scientist works closely with the Innovation and Brand Marketing to align product development with market trends and consumer preference. This role will interact closely with various functions including Innovation, Marketing, Food Safety Quality Assurance, Operations, Supply Chain and Sales. The person in this position is committed to assuring that Stella & Chewy’s, LLC and co-manufacturers produces safe, legal, and wholesome pet food products that meet our consumer’s expectations.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities, as department management may deem necessary from time to time.  

• Develop market disrupting innovative products beginning at the concept phase through successful commercialization. 
• Manages innovative business growth projects as assigned by the Senior Director of Research and Development.
• Research, design, and evaluate new materials, assemblies, optimize processes and equipment for projects including freeze dried products. 
• Optimize processing techniques for freeze-dried pet foods to improve yield and quality.
• Design and conduct pilot plant & plant trials and new product start-ups.
• Oversees complex research projects, analyze results and provide recommendations based on findings.
• Coordinate with cross-functional team to ensure smooth project execution from development to production.
• Conduct research on emerging trends, new ingredients, novel technologies and processes to enhance product quality, safety and nutritional value.
• Collaborate with external research organizations, suppliers and academic institution on relevant projects.
• Engages with Innovation team to carry out product testing, assessments, and interpretation of results for new product development.
• Abide by all safety rules and safety regulations as set by Stella & Chewy’s, LLC.

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Food Science, Food Engineering or related field with demonstrated technical experience in freeze-dried food production in pet food industry is preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of previous experience in a commercial pet food production setting.  
• Proven experience in production formulation, ingredient selection, and process development.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.  
• Creative problem-solving abilities and a passion for driving new product development.
• 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 with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Requires the ability to operate various office equipment to include a computer. Requires the ability to operate various software applications such as Microsoft Office platforms and an inventory management system. Requires the ability to use lab equipment and other instruments. Requires the ability to flex works hours as requested. Requires the availability to work weekdays and weekends as needed. Requires ability to travel up to 10% of the year.

Education and/or Experience

• Requires B.S. or M.S. in Food Science, Food Engineering or related field in food manufacturing.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in pet food product development is desired.