Redesign pre-blends to reduce COGS while maintaining or improving nutritional quality and palatability.Product Development &Ensure all products comply with AAFCO, NRC, FDA, and USDA guidelines for pet food.Select the right labs and third-party partners for ingredient testing, palatability trials, and digestibility studies.Partner with procurement, operations, quality, and marketing to align R&D efforts with broader company goals.Measurable improvements in palatability and digestibility.Speed &

Lead new product development (NPD) initiatives, balancing white-space innovation with optimizing existing formulations.Regulatory &Work closely with co-mans and support the launch of our own test facility in Cleveland to enhance internal capabilities.Testing &Develop a framework for launching new products within 12 weeks, with a budget range from $50K to $1M, ensuring a balance of agility and quality.Reformulated pre-blends that lower costs while maintaining quality.Taste &Ability to launch new products within 12 weeks and scale efficiently.We'd love to hear from you if you havePet food R&D experience (required) – ideally trained at a large pet brand and now working in a smaller, innovative brand.Food science background with expertise in meat science, drying processes, and formulation.Experience launching multiple pet food products (beyond kibble/canned – e.g., treats, raw, freeze-dried, air-dried).Strong technical expertise in AAFCO compliance, ingredient selection, and formulation.Hands-on approach – comfortable rolling up their sleeves in a test kitchen while providing strategic direction.Understands commercial scale-up – experience working with co-mans and transitioning lab-scale formulations to full production.Knows where to go for testing – experience selecting labs and third-party research partners.Pet nutrition expertise to support product claims and formulation decisions - this is not required, but a plusExperience with both large-scale and startup/challenger pet food brands - this is not required, but a plusWhy Join Us?Be part of a company that is investing in R&D for the first time and has the resources to build something from the ground up.Opportunity to launch a test facility in Cleveland and drive true product innovation.Work in a high-growth, mission-driven company that prioritizes quality over quantity in product development.Unlimited PTO – we trust you to take the time you need.Equity program – a chance to own part of the company!401k plan with employer match – invest in your future.Annual work-from-home stipend – set up your workspace for success.Competitive Medical, Dental, Vision plans – company covers 80%.Sundays subscription for your pup! – because we care about your furry friends.Parental leave & PAWrental leave – support for growing families, both human and pet.Discounted pet insurance – keep your pets happy and healthy.$150,000 - $200,000 a yearSalary will be commensurate to relevant experience. This role is eligible for benefits & our equity program. If you're an R&D leader with pet food expertise and a passion for developing innovative, high-quality, cost-efficient pet food, we'd love to hear from you!