Overview
We are seeking a
Quality & Regulatory Compliance Specialist Innovation to support food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance initiatives for innovative products within the protein, functional foods, and better-for-you (BFY) categories. This role plays a key part in accelerating innovation while ensuring compliance with food safety standards, quality requirements, and regulatory expectations across new product development and external manufacturing partnerships.
This is a
part-time contract opportunity with the potential to expand to full-time hours based on business needs. The position is primarily hybrid and requires local availability for on-site support when needed.
Responsibilities
Innovation & Project Leadership
- Represent Quality, Regulatory, and Compliance (QRC) functions on innovation projects involving protein, functional foods, and better-for-you products
- Ensure food safety and quality requirements are incorporated throughout product development
- Participate in front-end innovation, joint venture, and new product initiatives
- Conduct Quality Design Reviews and communicate findings to project stakeholders
- Support rapid product commercialization while maintaining compliance standards
Food Safety, Quality & Regulatory Support
- Develop and implement food safety and quality plans for new products and manufacturing processes
- Facilitate approval of ingredients, packaging materials, suppliers, and manufacturing locations
- Conduct quality system assessments for suppliers, manufacturers, distribution centers, and other partners
- Ensure compliance with government regulations, industry standards, and company policies
- Support development of quality and regulatory procedures related to innovation activities
Manufacturing & Operational Support
- Provide on-site support during manufacturing trials and production runs
- Assist with issue investigations, corrective actions, and quality improvement initiatives
- Support manufacturing, engineering, packaging, operations, and R&D teams throughout product development and commercialization
- Evaluate manufacturing processes and identify potential food safety and quality risks
Continuous Improvement
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives using audit findings, KPI data, benchmarking, and gap analysis
- Support implementation of best practices related to food safety, quality systems, and regulatory compliance
- Collaborate with subject matter experts and cross-functional partners to standardize processes and improve execution
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Microbiology, Quality Assurance, Engineering, or a related field
- Minimum of 5 years of food quality, food safety, or regulatory compliance experience
- Experience within food manufacturing environments
- Experience supporting new product development and commercialization initiatives
- Strong knowledge of:
- HACCP principles
- GMP requirements
- Food safety systems
- FDA regulations
- Quality design principles
- Experience working with protein, functional foods, or better-for-you product categories
- Strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication abilities
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and evolving innovation environment
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and Microsoft Teams
Preferred Qualifications
- FDA Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) Certification
- SAP experience
- Experience with:
- Protein products
- Functional foods
- Nutritional products
- Dietary supplements
- Experience working with external manufacturers and co-manufacturing partners
- Knowledge of diverse manufacturing processes including:
- Dairy
- Sweeteners
- Confectionery
- Cereals
- Nuts and nut processing
- Baking
- Extrusion processes
- Warehousing and distribution
- Experience conducting supplier quality and manufacturing audits