Versele-Laga is a leading manufacturer of high quality food and care products for pet and performance animals with 10 factories in 3 continents. We sell our strong brands in over 85 countries thanks to our team of 1.100 colleagues with a true passion for animals. Our group headquarters are based in Deinze near Ghent. We produce more than 95% of our products in house starting from the best raw materials until the final packed product.
After more than 90 years of expertise since our founding, we are still a rock solid family owned company with a unique culture based on respect, passion and engagement. Our track record of strong growth continues in our long term ambitions based on innovation, high investments, regional expansion and of course our dedicated teams.
Every day, we are nurturing the bond between people and over 25 Million animals with the best nutrition and care products. We take our responsibility to improve the wellbeing of people and animals seriously through a wide range of initiatives. Next to that, we contribute to a better planet through local sourcing, lower CO2 emissions, energy and waste reduction.
The job:
We are seeking a dynamic and passionate individual to join our Research and Development team as a Nutritionist. In your role, you execute research and product development in the field of nutrition for pet animals, in line with the commercial needs and strategy of Versele-Laga. You are able to develop and establish yourself as expert in the dietary needs of pet animals, and you dare to take initiative in trying out new ideas and concepts. For your assignments, you will report into the Senior RD Manager and work in close collaboration with other members of the R&D team and the product management team.
Key Responsibilities:
Conceptualize, test and develop new products and/or technologies, executed in a project format from idea to end product. This includes:
Come up with innovative proposals for new products or technologies
Take initiative to make (or organize the making of) experimental versions of new products or technologies
Design, execute and/or follow-up trials to assess the performance and efficacy of new formulations. You indicate the requirements (test locations, research collaborations, service providers) accordingly.
Collect, analyze and interpret data, translating them into correct and complete reports for a variety of stakeholders
Deliver finalized products within required specifications (performance, cost, quality control, regulatory restrictions)
Provide formulatory and technical support on existing products within the Versele-Laga portfolio.
Execute (or support in the execution of) project management: make and follow up on required project budget, resources and timelines; do timely stakeholder management; make monthly status reports; ensure proactive communication with key stakeholders.. to ensure timely and successful product delivery
Uphold scientific excellence through proper yet pragmatic experimental design, thereby making proposals for the use of state-of-the-art and innovative methodologies and tools
Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product management, production and sales. Actively support other parts of the business (e.g. technical advice, answering consumer questions, participation in conferences, giving lectures)
Your qualifications:
Master’s degree in Animal Nutrition, Animal Science, Biology, Veterinary medicine or similar through experience
Creative and innovative mindset to translate scientific knowledge into practical, marketable products
Strong analytical and ability to think out of the box to solve problems and challenges
Proven experience in new product and/or technology development
Experience in project management and strong organizational skills, is an advantage
Excellent communication and collaboration abilities
What we offer:
We offer a varied job in a growing international family business close to home.
You will receive a competitive salary, supplemented with fringe benefits.
You will work in a family atmosphere with joint participation in sporting events such as the Versele-Laga Run, the Versele-Laga Classic, the Warmathon,...