PET FORUMALTION SPECIALIST

JOB DESCRIPTION

Feeding human’s best friend is where science meets innovation! This is a career that goes by many titles, you might see it referred to as:

A Canine or Pet Nutritionist
An Ingredient & Formulation Scientist
Product Development Specialist
Principal Food Scientist
Product Developer/ Food Formulator
Research and Development (R&D) – Product Scientist
Food Technologist

Similar to a Food Technologist for human foods, a Pet Formulation Specialist is combining new flavours and textures to appease Fido’s palate, while balancing the daily intake of nutrients to keep our pets thriving. But it’s not just about serving up a bowl of tasty and nutritionally sound kibble or wet foods, you’ll also be conducting in-depth research, working with vets, and selecting viable ingredients to keep costs affordable and improve shelf life. You’ll need a sound understanding of science, be a registered animal dietician, understand lean manufacturing and shelf-life principles,

Once you’ve whipped up the perfect concoction, you’ll need to work with all the departments at the plant to bring the new products to market. This is a complex career but we know you’re up for the challenge!

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT

You might find yourself working in the lab on one day, in the office on another day, travelling to various business opportunities and in the production environment on a different day. Similar to other careers in the food sector, you’ll be exposed to both hot and cold environments, required to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and need to be capable of moving around and lifting up to 50lbs (standard for most workers). When in production environments, you can expect average noise levels of machinery in a manufacturing environment.

Pet Formulation Specialists often have management responsibilities including the oversight of personnel, reporting, department communications, as well as the overall education, training and promotion of the company’s products. Occasional travel might be required.

Depending on the size of the organization, there may be varying levels of Formulation Specialists and differing responsibilities. Big companies will have a team of people dedicated to formula nutrition, while smaller organizations may only have one or two team members in addition to external consulting, research and laboratories.

FACT: In 2020, there were around 8.1 million cats in Canadian households. In the same year, there were approximately 7.7 million pet dogs in the country.

PET FORUMALTION SPECIALIST SALARY

Low Range

$100K annually
$55 per hour

Average

$140K annually
$78 per hour

High Range

$200K annually
$111+ per hour

*Hourly pay calculated based on a 37.5h work week and is a rough estimate

As highly educated individuals making key decisions, guiding the science behind the product, and managing a team, a Pet Formulation Specialist can expect to earn anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000+ annually. Typically this is a full-time permanent salaried position, with full health benefits and vacation right from the beginning.

Other cool benefits might include a discount on the company’s products, retirement savings programs that you can participate in and ongoing professional development compensation. As with any job, your compensation and earning potential increase alongside your experience and the complexity of projects undertaken.

Some of the top earners in this career, have a high degree in a related-science field, and have knowledge and experience in the commercial manufacturing world. Companies ultimately want to develop cutting-edge products and bring them to market, and you will be the “resident expert” on how to accomplish this ambitious goal!

If you’re just starting out in the career, you’re likely a new graduate and have plenty of education concerning the science of formulating new products and performing tests, checks, etc. Working with seasoned professionals in the field will help you gain the experience you need to reach higher compensation.

PET FORUMALTION SPECIALIST JOB DUTIES

If connecting and working with people is your “bone/treat”, this career may be the perfect match. Pet Formulation Specialists have the chance to work with almost every department of the organization as they bring new products to life or ensure the quality of existing products and production processes. A ton of work goes into creating the PURfect product for your fur-baby, and you’re about to see just how involved you’ll be throughout the process.

Here are some of the key responsibilities broken down into 5 main categories:

Product Development & Upkeep:

Creation of new formulas that comply with regulations and food safety
Detailed formula analysis: Verification, raw material requirements
Food Safety and Traceability related activities, including the setup of ingredients in company software systems…
Development and upkeep of labeling in conjunction with requirements
New product research with ingredients and nutritional targeting
Adjustments to batch formulation as required
Working with external laboratories performing various assignments and interpreting the results into meaningful actions for the formulation or production process
Must be aware and comply with all local, provincial and federal laws that are applicable to the company’s products

Administration & Outreach:

Completing regulatory reporting and forecasting
Internal and external education and training presentations
Record keeping and development of processes and procedures.
Presentations and participation in tradeshows, events, seminars and other outreach opportunities,
Regular participation in company representation opportunities such as guest speaking, contributions to industry articles, participation on advisory groups and consultation panels, etc.
Keep abreast of new industry breakthroughs
Attend workshops and professional development training

Outreach & Orders:

Ongoing Communication with consumers regarding preferences/ desires
Establishing and maintaining personal and professional networks to build business collaborations and to assist in sourcing ingredients, technologies and more to ultimately improve the company’s product.
Creating ongoing relationships with b2b companies to source the highest quality ingredients.

Production:

Working with various parts of the production team to ensure quality requirements are being achieved
Working with production supervisors, quality assurance teams and HACCP team to ensure product quality and proper system logs and traceability procedures are being followed.
Ensuring food safety program guidelines are working and maintained, updating of plant quality control and assurance program, sampling, and testing as required.
Production line inspection and raw material inspection, ensuring the end product looks, smells and feels as it should.

Managerial & Training:

Supervision of the food production team ensuring proper formulation adherence when it comes to raw material handling and batch quantification
Participate in internal and external safety and nutrition education efforts, training, and programs.
Leading teams and overseeing production personnel.
Effectively communicating with managers and supervisors to create a positive and productive working environment.

FACT: The Animal Food Manufacturing Sector is comprised of smaller establishments, generally providing more job stability with a concentration of full-time permanent staff.

BECOMING A PET FORUMALTION SPECIALIST

Competitiveness & Availability

Pet food manufacturers are always seeking highly qualified individuals to join their teams. Traditionally, the pet food industry has been a highly competitive niche market, but with the recent pandemic and a boom of household fuzzy family members, we’re likely to see increased availability of positions in the coming years.

Current pet food trends are also revealing new positions in the industry, with further innovation of dry foods, dehydrated, freeze-dried, and fresh/ raw foods hitting the market fast and furious. Employers are looking for talented individuals who are capable of understanding and balancing manufacturing requirements with the latest pet food trends to give them a competitive edge.

If you’re at the beginning of your career journey, this is definitely a solid area to plan for. Equally, if you’re seeking to transition your career, this field is definitely a smart bet.

Advancement Opportunities

Advancement opportunities will largely depend on your employer who may have several product lines and a full department dedicated to formulation, or a small team. If you’re at the beginning of your career, you may start off as part of the Quality Assurance (QA) team or as a Food Technologist supporting the Lead/ Director Pet Formulation Specialist and eventually mature into greater roles.

Staying abreast of trending industry issues, labeling and nutritional requirements and advancements in new manufacturing technologies is key to your continued success. Be both practical and scientific, building close bonds with your team on the ground to “sniff out” any production issues while using your scientific and critical thinking side to solve everyday problems!

Innovating a new product, a new use of ingredients, mitigating hazards, and forming best practices are all signs that your work is having a positive impact on the organization’s operations!

Education

For this role you’ll need a background in science, entry roles will likely accept a bachelor’s degree, but more advanced roles will require a minimum of a Master’s Degree or preferably a Ph.D. The ideal areas of study include Food Sciences, Animal Nutrition and Dietetics, microbiology, animal science, biology, biochemistry, etc. However, as this is a specialized career, there are also other accepted areas of study, such as zymology, agriculture, veterinary-related studies, and engineering.

Supporting certifications are a nice compliment to your education but not always necessary for finding employment, here are a few certification areas to consider:

Canadian Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (CAVN)
Pet food formulation courses
Knowledge of AAFCO regulations and nutrition compliance
Knowledge of labelling regulations
Ingredient functionality
Product commercialization
Lean manufacturing
Registered Animal Dietician

Annual Professional Development will be required throughout the course of your career as a Pet Formulation Specialist to keep abreast of the latest technology and advancements in formulations. This includes attending workshops, educational sessions and industry events to stay current on new and upcoming breakthroughs and maintain your professional and technical knowledge.