R&D Application Specialist

Carnivore Meat Company•Green Bay, WI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The R&D Application Specialist role is responsible for supporting laboratory operations, product development, analytical testing, and quality assurance activities for freeze-dried and frozen pet food products. This position manages laboratory equipment and testing processes, supports NIR calibration programs, assists with product innovation initiatives, and ensures compliance with regulatory and food safety standards. The role collaborates cross-functionally with R&D, Production, and FSQA teams to support product development and continuous improvement initiatives.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Minimum 1–3 years of experience in a laboratory, food manufacturing, R&D, or quality assurance environment.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.
Ability to accurately document laboratory procedures, formulations, and testing results.
Knowledge of laboratory practices, food safety principles, and regulatory compliance standards.
Strong attention to detail and problem-solving capabilities.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a cross-functional environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and data management systems.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of formulations, processes, and proprietary information.

Nice To Haves

Mechanical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot laboratory equipment preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage laboratory equipment, materials, and testing supplies to ensure proper functionality and compliance.
Perform moisture analyzer calibrations and maintain calibration documentation.
Conduct regulatory and analytical testing on raw materials, in-process products, and finished goods.
Coordinate third-party laboratory testing, including sample collection, preparation, shipping, and results tracking.
Maintain accurate laboratory records, test data, certificates of analysis, and regulatory documentation.
Assist with production finished good quality testing as backup support for FSQA operations.
Develop, maintain, and verify Near Infrared (NIR) calibration programs.
Train FSQA investigators, technicians, and other personnel on proper NIR operation and testing procedures.
Troubleshoot NIR equipment and support continuous calibration improvements.
Develop and prototype new freeze-dried and frozen pet food products, flavors, and ingredient applications.
Execute bench-top and pilot-scale R&D samples aligned with project objectives.
Evaluate new ingredients and processing capabilities for scalability into commercial manufacturing.
Document formulations, processing observations, nutritional analyses, and experimental outcomes.
Coordinate with R&D, Operations, FSQA, Procurement, and Packaging teams to ensure proper handling and control of prototypes and samples.
Support product commercialization activities through sample preparation and process validation.
Identify and recommend process improvements to improve efficiency, consistency, quality, and cost performance.
Maintain compliance with food safety, quality, regulatory, and company standards.
Ensure all testing records, formulations, and experimental documentation are complete, accurate, and audit ready.
Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), sanitation procedures, and workplace safety requirements.