Junior Nutritionist: Qpro Feeds at VKB Group

VKB Group is seeking a dedicated and analytical Junior Nutritionist to join the Qpro Feeds operational team at the Bethlehem feed plant. The VKB Group is a leading dynamic agricultural enterprise providing comprehensive support to farming communities and driving excellence across the agricultural food value chain. Within this ecosystem, Qpro Feeds serves as an essential manufacturing division, producing superior animal nutrition formulations for both monogastric and ruminant livestock producers. This entry-level role offers an exceptional entry point for an animal science professional looking to cultivate a specialist career in commercial feed manufacturing and dietary product management.

As a Junior Nutritionist, you will collaborate closely with experienced animal nutritionists, technical sales teams, and plant production personnel to support optimal feed performance and quality. You will be actively involved in monitoring feed consistency, assessing raw material properties, and utilizing scientific formulation data to deliver superior nutritional outcomes for internal and external agricultural clients. The role requires a keen eye for detail, sound scientific logic, and an appetite for problem-solving within a high-throughput processing environment.

Key Responsibilities & Core Duties

• Support the animal nutrition team in developing, reviewing, and maintaining precise feed formulations for monogastric and ruminant animals.
• Assist with raw material evaluations, laboratory analysis interpretation, and quality assurance compliance across daily production batches.
• Monitor feed mill processing parameters to ensure nutritional integrity is sustained during commercial batching and mixing.
• Collaborate with mill operators, warehouse teams, and technical advisors to resolve raw material and dietary formulation discrepancies promptly.
• Maintain organized technical records, nutritional data sheets, and regulatory compliance documentation.
• Participate actively in ongoing continuous improvement initiatives aimed at boosting mill efficiency and nutritional consistency.

Ideal Candidate Profile & Core Attributes

• Strong analytical capabilities and comfort working with complex nutritional calculations and production datasets.
• Proactive mindset focused on quality assurance, problem mitigation, and operational excellence.
• Clear verbal and written communication skills suitable for cross-functional interaction between technical, administrative, and operational plant teams.
• Dependable work ethic with the capability to manage strict deadlines in a dynamic feed manufacturing environment.

Learning, Mentorship & Career Progression

Working at VKB Group offers early-career professionals direct mentorship from seasoned nutritionists and plant managers. Through exposure to both monogastric and ruminant feed pipelines, you will deepen your practical knowledge of feed chemistry, feed mill software, and modern livestock nutritional strategies, unlocking long-term advancement pathways across the broader VKB agricultural network.

Estimated Salary Range (Market Benchmark)

The hiring employer has not officially specified a salary for this position. Based on South African market data and industry benchmarks for an entry-level agricultural graduate or junior technical specialist role, the estimated remuneration is approximately R12,000 – R20,000 per month. Please note that this is an industry estimate and actual remuneration will be determined by the employer based on qualifications, experience, and internal pay structures.

How to Apply & Submission Guidelines

Interested applicants meeting the educational and professional requirements are invited to apply online via the VKB Simplify portal. Ensure your submitted profile includes an updated curriculum vitae, certified copies of academic transcripts, and a copy of your South African identity document.

• BSc Degree or National Diploma in Animal Science, Animal Nutrition, Agricultural Science, or a closely related field
• 1 to 3 years experience in an animal nutrition or feed manufacturing environment preferred
• Familiarity with feed formulation software systems and feed mill processes is advantageous
• Strong numerical accuracy, analytical reasoning, and attention to detail
• Effective interpersonal, verbal, and written communication abilities
• Structured planning and time management skills under production pressure