Pet Care Technologist
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Job Location:
Cape Town - South Africa
Monthly Salary:
Not Disclosed
Posted on:
30+ days ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
The Pet Care Technologist is responsible for ensuring that all pet products including food treats accessories and grooming items meet the companys standards for quality safety performance and compliance. Working closely with suppliers and the commercial team this role supports new product development ensures ongoing product quality and safety and drives innovation. The Technologist ensures that all products reflect the companys brand values align with legislative and ethical standards and deliver exceptional value to customers and their pets.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Product Quality and Safety
- Ensure that all pet products (food and non-food) meet internal quality standards legal requirements and customer expectations.
- Oversee product testing for safety functionality and performance including microbiological chemical and material testing where applicable.
- Implement and monitor supplier corrective action plans to address quality issues or non-compliance.
- Maintain compliance with relevant safety and quality management systems (e.g. HACCP FSSC 22000 ISO 22000 for pet food).
New Product Development (NPD) & Innovation
- Support the end-to-end NPD process from concept to launch ensuring products are technically sound safe and commercially viable.
- Provide formulation and technical guidance for pet food and treats as well as quality specifications for non-food items (toys beds grooming).
- Conduct benchmarking and sensory evaluations to ensure competitiveness and consistency across ranges.
- Drive innovation in alignment with customer trends sustainability objectives and brand strategy.
Supplier Management & Technical Support
- Collaborate with suppliers to ensure robust specifications consistent quality and adherence to ethical sourcing standards.
- Conduct technical supplier assessments and audits to verify manufacturing standards and ensure compliance with local and international regulations.
- Support supplier capability building and continuous improvement initiatives.
Governance Compliance and Documentation
- Maintain and update all product specifications test reports and FPI (First Production Inspection) records.
- Ensure packaging labelling and claims comply with applicable legislation (including pet food regulations and product safety requirements).
- Oversee internal and third-party audits and manage follow-up actions to ensure full compliance.
Sustainability & Ethical Sourcing
- Champion the companys sustainability goals by promoting environmentally responsible and ethically sourced raw materials and packaging.
- Work with suppliers to reduce environmental impact and support animal welfare standards.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with the commercial and product development teams to deliver safe high-quality and innovative products.
- Provide technical insight during product selection development and launch phases.
- Contribute to risk assessments product recalls and quality investigations as required.
EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES
Industry Expertise:
- Minimum 5 years experience in the food pet food or pet care product industry.
- Understanding of pet food formulation raw materials processing and technical standards as well as general product safety requirements for non-food pet items.
Technical Knowledge:
- Strong technical product knowledge across pet food and/or pet accessories packaging materials and quality assurance principles.
- Familiarity with regulatory frameworks and standards applicable to pet products.
Problem Solving & Analytical Skills:
- Proven ability to troubleshoot product issues and implement corrective and preventive actions.
- Strong analytical mindset and ability to interpret technical data.
Communication & Collaboration:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively across teams and with suppliers.
- Confident in presenting technical findings and influencing decisions.
Business Acumen:
- Commercial awareness and understanding of retail dynamics consumer expectations and category growth drivers.
- Ability to balance technical rigour with practical business-focused outcomes.
Personal Attributes:
- Proactive detail-oriented and quality-driven.
- Strong sense of accountability and ownership.
- Able to manage multiple priorities and work under pressure.
- Willingness to travel locally and internationally as required
Qualifications:
- BSc Food Science / BSc Animal Science / BTech Food Technology / BSc Biotechnology / Advanced Diploma in Food Technology
- Experience in the pet food industry with a focus on formulations raw materials legislation and quality systems is essential.
- Additional experience with pet accessories grooming or non-food pet products will be advantageous.
Key Skills
- Veterinary Experience
- Animal Care
- Customer Service
- Communication skills
- Van Driver
- Veterinary Technician Experience
- Pet Grooming
- Animal Handling
- Apache Pig
- Hair Styling
- Pet Care
- Dog Handling
About Company
The Absolute Pets Warehouse in Kempton Park, Johannesburg is looking for two Warehouse Administrators to join the Warehouse team. Each Warehouse Administrator will have slightly different roles and responsibilities. Please see the roles and responsibilities below for both Warehouse As ... View more
