Company Description NORPEL (Northern Pelagic Group, LLC) is a Pet Sustainability Coalitionโaccredited, vertically integrated multi-protein processor serving leading pet food manufacturers across North America. With facilities in New Bedford, MA and Hazleton, PA, the company partners with red meat, poultry, and seafood suppliers to deliver high-quality terrestrial and marine proteins. NORPEL operates USDC, FDA, APHIS, HACCP, and EU-approved facilities, emphasizing food safety, traceability, and regulatory compliance. The company produces frozen blocks of emulsified or mechanically deboned proteins and fresh slurry protein blends to customer specifications. NORPEL continues to grow as a premier provider of advanced seafood and meat ingredients for the pet food industry, focused on innovation and customer satisfaction.
Role Description The Senior Food Scientist will lead product development and technical innovation for marine and terrestrial protein ingredients used in pet food applications. This full-time, on-site role in New Bedford, MA involves designing and executing R&D projects, formulating new products, and optimizing existing recipes for performance, quality, and sustainability. Day-to-day responsibilities include conducting laboratory trials, evaluating raw materials and finished products, performing sensory and physicochemical analyses, and maintaining detailed technical documentation. The Senior Food Scientist will collaborate closely with operations, quality assurance, procurement, and commercial teams to support scale-up, troubleshoot production issues, and respond to customer technical inquiries. The role also includes staying current on industry trends, regulatory requirements, and emerging technologies to help guide NORPELโs long-term product strategy.
Qualifications
- Strong foundation in Food Science and Food Technology, with the ability to apply scientific principles to protein processing and pet food ingredient development.
- Experience in Research and Development (R&D) for food or pet food products, including formulation, experimental design, and data analysis.
- Proficient Laboratory Skills, including handling analytical equipment, conducting quality and safety tests, and documenting laboratory protocols.
- Background in the Food & Beverage or pet food sector, with an understanding of processing systems, safety standards, and regulatory requirements.
- Bachelorโs or Masterโs degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Animal Science, Chemistry, or a related field.
- Knowledge of HACCP, GMPs, and regulatory frameworks (e.g., FDA, USDC, EU) relevant to food and pet food ingredients.
- Ability to work on-site in a production environment, communicate effectively with cross-functional teams, and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Experience with protein functionality, emulsification, deboning, and extrusion or other thermal processing technologies is highly beneficial.