Finding the right place to grow your career isn’t (over) easy, so we’re here to help by sharing a few reasons why the grass is greener at Vital Farms. We think you’ll appreciate our focus on Conscious Capitalism, which drives business decisions that benefit all our stakeholders (leading to even better business results). You might be drawn to our innovative approach and refusal to settle for the “way things have always been done.” Or you could find it exciting to grow your skills while working for an industry-leading brand. Whether you’re into our values, our brand, or our egg-cellent puns, we hope you’ll join our Crew and help us change the world 108 square feet at a time!
The Manager, Poultry Nutrition will be responsible for formulating and optimizing nutrition programs to maximize the health, welfare, and productivity of poultry flocks. You will apply your expertise in animal nutrition and feed management to develop customized diet formulations, implement feeding strategies, and monitor nutritional performance indicators. Your role will be critical in ensuring the well-being of our poultry and achieving optimal production outcomes in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.
What You’ll Do:
- Develop and refine nutrition programs and feed formulations tailored to the specific requirements and life stages of poultry species, including layers, and Pullets.
- Conduct nutritional analysis of feed ingredients and supplements to ensure compliance with industry standards, nutritional requirements, and regulatory guidelines.
- Collaborate with suppliers and vendors to evaluate their nutritional value, cost-effectiveness, and availability.
- Design feeding programs and feeding schedules to meet the nutritional needs of poultry flocks at different growth stages, taking into account factors such as age, breed, and production goals.
- Implement feeding protocols and practices to optimize feed conversion efficiency, promote uniform growth, and minimize feed wastage.
- Monitor feed consumption patterns, feed conversion ratios, and growth performance metrics to assess the effectiveness of feeding strategies and adjust as needed.
- Conduct regular nutritional assessments of poultry flocks, including body condition scoring, feed intake analysis, and nutrient utilization studies.
- Analyze data on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as body weight, feed efficiency, egg production, and shell quality to evaluate the nutritional status and overall health of the flock.
- Identify nutritional deficiencies, imbalances, or health issues affecting poultry performance, and recommend corrective actions or dietary modifications to address them.
- Stay abreast of the latest developments, trends, and research findings in poultry nutrition, feed technology, and animal health management.
- Work cross-functionally with our Feed and Innovation Process manager to conduct research studies and trials to evaluate the efficacy of new feed additives, supplements, or alternative ingredients in improving poultry performance, health, and resilience.
- Collaborate with internal teams, academic institutions, and industry partners to contribute to scientific advancements and innovation in poultry nutrition.
- Provide training and technical support to farm personnel, including farm managers and farm support crew members on best practices in poultry nutrition and feed management.
- Develop educational materials, resources, and guidelines to promote awareness and understanding of nutritional principles, feeding practices, and health management protocols among farm staff
What You Bring to the Table:
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in poultry nutrition, feed formulation, and farm management, preferably in a pastured poultry production setting.
- You have a minimum Bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science, Poultry Nutrition, or a related field. (Masters/PHD preferred)
- Strong knowledge of animal nutrition principles feed ingredient composition, and dietary requirements for poultry species.
- Proficiency in feed formulation software, nutritional modeling tools, and data analysis techniques.
- Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
- Effective communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical information in a clear and concise manner.
- Proven ability to work independently, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Commitment to animal welfare, sustainable agriculture, and continuous improvement in poultry production practices.
- You have the ability to lead and engage in creative problem-solving with both internal and external partners to identify barriers and come to mutually beneficial solutions
- Ability to travel 50%, including overnight, to farms, production facilities, company/team meetings, and other business needs
- Proficient in MS Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
- You’re no hero – You know the power of teamwork and celebrate the work of others before your own
- You give a sh*t – You believe in acting like an owner and making Vital Farms a place to be proud of
- You raise the standards – You know growth can be hard, but you strive to improve yourself and others each day
- You can walk in someone else’s boots – You seek to understand other’s viewpoints and think that you get to better answers by sitting on the same side of the table
- You don’t walk on eggshells – You’re not afraid to leave the bullsh*t behind and have honest conversations.
What We Bring to the Table:
- A fast-paced, energetic, remote environment with passionate people who are leading a movement to bring ethically produced food to the table.
- Competitive pay and benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Paid Parental Leave, just to name a few).
- Generous retirement contributions: 401(k) + 3% Contribution from Day 1.
- Free eggs and butter, along with friends and family discounts.
- Fun team SWAG that will make you the talk of the town.
- Professional development opportunities and an amazing team dedicated to your growth.
Who We Are:
Vital Farms, a Certified B Corporation, offers a range of ethically produced foods nationwide. Started on a single farm in Austin, Texas, in 2007, Vital Farms became a national consumer brand that works with over 300 family farms and is the leading U.S. brand of pasture-raised eggs by retail dollar sales. Vital Farms’ products, including shell eggs, butter, hard-boiled eggs, and liquid whole eggs, are sold in over 24,000 stores nationwide. Vital Farms’ ethics are exemplified by its focus on the humane treatment of farm animals and sustainable farming practices. In addition, as a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation, Vital Farms prioritizes the long-term benefits of each of its stakeholders, including farmers and suppliers, customers and consumers, communities and the environment, crew members, and stockholders. In short, we exist to improve the lives of people, animals, and our planet through food.
Next Steps:
Shortly after you complete your application, you’ll receive a follow-up email elaborating on any potential next steps in our process. If you don’t immediately receive said follow-up email, we would highly encourage you to check your spam filter!
In order to fulfill Vital Farms mission to “bring ethically produced food to the table,” we seek to build teams that leverage diverse perspectives to create a welcoming and innovative environment that is committed to the principles of equal employment opportunities.
To that end, we make employment decisions based on qualifications, merit, and business need. Vital Farms does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender and gender identity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, citizenship status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Notification to Agencies:
- Vital Farms is not accepting unsolicited third-party recruitment agencies in the hiring process for this role. If you are a potential candidate interested in a role with Vital Farms, please submit an application directly. If you have any questions about the application process or the role itself, please reach out to a member of our Talent Acquisition team at careers@vitalfarms.com .
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