Scientific & Regulatory Affairs

Job Description

Job Description:

This role will provide critical support to the business by applying technical mastery of U.S. state and federal regulatory requirements governing packaging, sustainability-related obligations, including EPR, PCR, recyclability, pet food labeling, and claims to support our brands across the organization. This role helps ensure regulatory compliance in packaging and sustainability initiatives to maintain and grow the competitive market position.

The Senior Regulatory Affairs Scientist will utilize knowledge of federal and state regulations and guidelines to ensure compliance and substantiation of Mars product packaging with a strong emphasis in emerging packaging regulatory frameworks and sustainability-related compliance obligations. The position will provide primary support for U.S.A. and Canada SRA packaging compliance projects and secondary support for U.S.A. and Canada SRA product projects.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

• Previous regulatory experience or experience in an FDA business is highly desired. This role requires strong analytical thinking skills and the ability to interpret complex regulations into creative business application.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills are required to clearly communicate potentially complex or sensitive information in a factual, non-speculative manner, across levels and functions in the organization.

• Ability to function independently in a multi-task environment, as well as a part of a dynamic team.

• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to identify what needs to be done and the ownership to drive the work to completion.

• The individual must have the ability to adapt to changing priorities, while continuing to manage multiple projects according to business needs.

• Excellent attention to detail is required for many aspects of this role including interpreting and applying regulations, label development etc.

Preferred Qualifications

• A pet passionate person with excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to identify and overcome barriers to deliver guidance to R&D and commercial partners.

• Strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to actively develop and maintain strong collaborative working relationships with Regulatory colleagues around the world and with partners in other functions including Product Development, Legal, Quality & Food Safety, Marketing, Commercial, Nutrition, Formulation and others.

• Experience with sustainability claims support and packaging compliance, including EPR, PCR and recyclability requirements.

What will be your key responsibilities?

Regulatory Compliance

• Provide scientific, regulatory, and technical leadership to ensure compliance with North America (especially U.S.A.) state Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and post-consumer recycled content (PCR) requirements applicable to pet food packaging.

• Serve as the subject matter expert for EPR, PCR, and other packaging recyclability and compliance requirements impacting pet food, and be responsible for technical assessments to ensure alignment with evolving state programs, mitigate regulatory risk, and support sustainable packaging objectives.

• Provide occasional support for regulatory review and approval of packaging and advertising materials for pet food and supplements ensuring appropriate support for all claims.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills required to respond effectively to internal stakeholders and regulatory agencies.

• Provide regulatory guidance with ingredients and claims strategy to ensure they are accurately supported and properly described on labels and advertising.

Provide regulatory input to guide the business

• Assess, research, and interpret current and emerging state and federal regulations governing regulated consumer goods packaging, including EPR, PCR, recyclability, and labeling requirements, to provide clear, actionable regulatory guidance to the business.

• Provide training on packaging sustainability compliance to R&D and Marketing associates.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and think strategically to navigate the regulations.

Represent company objectives in pet food trade associations.

• Participate in trade association work groups and ensure Mars strategies are incorporated into the objectives and actions.

• Represent Mars Pet Nutrition in packaging sustainability and EPR-related trade association activities.

• Perform various other regulatory functions as needed.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Mars does not sponsor visas for this role.

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