Pet Care Technologist

The Pet Care Technologist is responsible for ensuring that all pet products, including food, treats, accessories, and grooming items, meet the company's standards for quality, safety, performance, and compliance. Working closely with suppliers and the commercial team, this role supports new product development, ensures ongoing product quality and safety, and drives innovation. The Technologist ensures that all products reflect the company's brand values, align with legislative and ethical standards, and deliver exceptional value to customers and their pets.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Product Quality and Safety

• Ensure that all pet products (food and non-food) meet internal quality standards, legal requirements, and customer expectations.
• Oversee product testing for safety, functionality, and performance, including microbiological, chemical, and material testing where applicable.
• Implement and monitor supplier corrective action plans to address quality issues or non-compliance.
• Maintain compliance with relevant safety and quality management systems (e.g., HACCP, FSSC 22000, ISO 22000 for pet food).

New Product Development (NPD) & Innovation

• Support the end-to-end NPD process, from concept to launch, ensuring products are technically sound, safe, and commercially viable.
• Provide formulation and technical guidance for pet food and treats, as well as quality specifications for non-food items (toys, beds, grooming).
• Conduct benchmarking and sensory evaluations to ensure competitiveness and consistency across ranges.
• Drive innovation in alignment with customer trends, sustainability objectives, and brand strategy.

Supplier Management & Technical Support

• Collaborate with suppliers to ensure robust specifications, consistent quality, and adherence to ethical sourcing standards.
• Conduct technical supplier assessments and audits to verify manufacturing standards and ensure compliance with local and international regulations.
• Support supplier capability building and continuous improvement initiatives.

Governance, Compliance and Documentation

• Maintain and update all product specifications, test reports, and FPI (First Production Inspection) records.
• Ensure packaging, labelling, and claims comply with applicable legislation (including pet food regulations and product safety requirements).
• Oversee internal and third-party audits, and manage follow-up actions to ensure full compliance.

Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing

• Champion the company's sustainability goals by promoting environmentally responsible and ethically sourced raw materials and packaging.
• Work with suppliers to reduce environmental impact and support animal welfare standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with the commercial and product development, teams to deliver safe, high-quality, and innovative products.
• Provide technical insight during product selection, development, and launch phases.
• Contribute to risk assessments, product recalls, and quality investigations as required.

EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

Industry Expertise:

• Minimum 5 years' experience in the food, pet food, or pet care product industry.
• Understanding of pet food formulation, raw materials, processing, and technical standards, as well as general product safety requirements for non-food pet items.

Technical Knowledge:

• Strong technical product knowledge across pet food and/or pet accessories, packaging materials, and quality assurance principles.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and standards applicable to pet products.

Problem Solving & Analytical Skills:

• Proven ability to troubleshoot product issues and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Strong analytical mindset and ability to interpret technical data.

Communication & Collaboration:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively across teams and with suppliers.
• Confident in presenting technical findings and influencing decisions.

Business Acumen:

• Commercial awareness and understanding of retail dynamics, consumer expectations, and category growth drivers.
• Ability to balance technical rigour with practical, business-focused outcomes.

Personal Attributes:

• Proactive, detail-oriented, and quality-driven.
• Strong sense of accountability and ownership.
• Able to manage multiple priorities and work under pressure.
• Willingness to travel locally and internationally as required

Qualifications:

• BSc Food Science / BSc Animal Science / BTech Food Technology / BSc Biotechnology / Advanced Diploma in Food Technology
• Experience in the pet food industry with a focus on formulations, raw materials, legislation, and quality systems is essential.
• Additional experience with pet accessories, grooming, or non-food pet products will be advantageous.