Sr. Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Specialist - Packaging Sustainability Compliance

Mars • Chicago, IL

9d

About The Position

As a member of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs (SRA) Team, the Sr. Scientific and Regulatory Affairs Specialist - Packaging Sustainability Compliance supports Mars Snacking North America efforts to assess, implement, and govern evolving sustainability requirements across claims, labeling, chemicals of interest, and packaging composition. Serving as a key SRA partner to Marketing, Legal, Corporate Affairs, Packaging R&D, Procurement, and Quality, this role conducts risk assessments of environmental and sustainability claims to ensure they are substantiated and not misleading, provides clear mitigation recommendations, and escalates issues to support informed business decisions. The position evaluates portfolio impacts of emerging state and federal labeling laws, leads execution of compliant label updates supported by robust data, and coordinates supplier documentation for chemicals of interest such as PFAS. Through structured supplier engagement, regulatory tracking, change management, and documentation oversight, the Senior Specialist delivers actionable guidance, maintains audit readiness, and strengthens internal capability to ensure consistent, compliant, and business-aligned sustainable packaging practices.

Requirements

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in a technical area, such as chemistry, toxicology, food chemistry, food science, packaging engineering.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in scientific and/or regulatory compliance with food products and/or related product categories (such as food supplements, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals) with proficiency in food law, and ingredient and packaging management in North America.
• Experience working on large-scale regulatory projects involving packaging; a demonstrated track record of working successfully across functions to achieve shared goals
• Proven ability to interact cross-functionally at all levels within the organization and suppliers are required.

Nice To Haves

• Master's preferred.
• Experience in Treating and Snacking category is preferred.
• Experience working with trade associations and government agencies to clarify and resolve regulatory matters.

Responsibilities

• Sustainability Claims Management Conduct risk assessments of environmental and sustainability claims to ensure claims are substantiated, accurate, and not misleading.
• Partner with Marketing, Legal, and Corporate Affairs to establish appropriate oversight, documentation standards, and approval processes for sustainability claims.
• Provide clear, business-relevant recommendations on claims risk and mitigation strategies, and escalate as needed to facilitate decision making.
• Sustainability Labeling Compliance Assess portfolio impact of evolving state and federal labeling regulations, e.g., California SB 343
• Lead execution of required label updates, and partner with cross-functional teams to ensure substantiating data (e.g., recyclability testing, material composition validation) is complete and audit-ready.
• Coordinate cross-functionally to implement compliant and timely packaging changes.
• Chemicals of Interest & Regulatory Documentation Management Monitor and assess fast-evolving state regulations addressing packaging chemicals of interest, such as PFAS and other restricted substances.
• Coordinate with suppliers, converters, and internal stakeholders to collect and review required regulatory documentation (e.g., PCR certifications, PFAS-free declarations, compliance statements, recyclability verification).
• Maintain organized documentation systems to support audits, regulatory inquiries, and customer requests.
• Regulatory Change Management & Tracking Track and manage regulatory developments related to sustainability claims, labeling, packaging composition, and chemicals of interest.
• Support the implementation of structured change management processes to ensure timely internal alignment and compliance execution.
• Develop summaries and impact assessments to inform business stakeholders of regulatory changes and associated risks.
• Serve as a trusted technical partner to R&D, Packaging, Procurement, Marketing, and Legal teams on sustainable packaging topics.
• Contribute to internal capability building by sharing regulatory insights and supporting training initiatives.

Benefits

• 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.
• A strong focus on 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level