Kemin Industries · 2 hours ago
Associate Director of R&D - Palatants
Des Moines, IA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
7+ years expKemin Industries is a global biotechnology company committed to transforming the quality of life for people, pets, and the planet. The Associate Director of R&D will lead the Palatants Discovery group, guiding research direction, managing budgets, and driving innovation within the organization.
BiotechnologyFood and BeverageSustainability
Responsibilities
Set team goals within a significant portfolio of projects that drives business growth
Develop, review, and coach others on research plans, literature reviews, laboratory experiments, SOP’s, research protocol and be a center of excellence for team members
Lead IP strategy for area of focus
Overall management responsibility for a scientific team with a BU; create culture that ensures all are working toward shared goals
Assist team members with creating SMART goals, development plans and coach team members to reach goals
Mentor and coach team members on technical processes, personal development and business issues
Independently identify and lead external research collaborations to obtain new intellectual property
Participate with management to lead and drive strategic planning process and decisions and manage research budget
Lead customer meetings if technical expertise is required
Interpret advanced data analysis; review other's data analysis for accuracy, thoroughness and compliance
Coach others on the proper analysis needed for different types projects
Develop of find innovative data analysis methods needed for projects
Present information on Kemin's behalf at scientific meetings and trade shows
Review internal publications and external scientific journal publications and regulatory submissions
Coach others in writing and preparing communications for internal or external publication
Qualification
Required
Bachelors degree in a scientific related field with 15+ years of experience OR
Masters degree in a scientific related field with 10+ years of experience OR
PhD with 7+ years of experience
Experience in a leadership role within pet food is highly desired
Superb attention to detail; produces work of exceptional quality and accuracy
Excellent scientific skills in experiment design and data collection with ability to perform advanced statistical analysis
Very strong analytical and problem solving skills with a strong scientific curiosity and innovative thinking
Ability to proactively identify issues and address with solutions-oriented approach
Proven interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills; fluent in English, both written and oral
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment; able to manage competing priorities; excellent time management skills
Advanced computer skills
Travel up to 25%
A post-offer background check and drug screen is required. Additional pre-employment requirements may be necessary based on position
Benefits
Competitive Financial Package: Enjoy a rewarding salary, uncapped bonus opportunities, a 401k match program, and generous paid vacation and holidays.
Career Development and Advancement: Unlock your potential with opportunities for growth and development throughout your entire career.
Continued Learning Opportunities: Grow your skills with our in-house learning platforms, offering thousands of training resources both live and online, and take advantage of tuition reimbursement for external post-secondary pursuits.
Service Opportunities: Make a positive impact with paid time off for volunteering in your community
Company
Kemin Industries
Kemin Industries provides health-related products to improve the quality, safety, and efficacy of food.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Kemin Industries has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (4)
2024 (2)
2023 (4)
2022 (3)
2021 (2)
2020 (4)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$260M2025-12-01Debt Financing· $50M
2025-02-12Debt Financing· $20M
2023-04-25Debt Financing· $65M
Leadership Team
Jason Shelton
Vice President Research And Development
Adriano Di Toppa
Enterprise Data Manager
Recent News
The French Tech Journal
2025-12-02
Precedence Research
2025-12-02
2025-11-20
Company data provided by crunchbase