Regulatory Science Manager

Our story goes back more than 150 years, to the southern coast of Scandinavia. From our early success in Sweden and Denmark, we've grown into the world's leading specialist producer of plant-based oils, employing more than 4,000 people across the globe.

We work with our customers to make the products you love even better. The oils we produce go into making your chocolate extra-creamy or putting the crunch into your croissant or providing essential building blocks for infant formulae, medical nutrition, and food supplements making vital products better both nutritionally and functionally. And it's not just food — we work across many industries to make products that are higher quality, healthier, and better for the planet.

Everything we do is about
Making Better Happen.
AAK Location
This position will be based in Malmö (HQ), Sweden or other relevant European AAK location.

About The Role
We are seeking an experienced and visionary Regulatory Science Manager to serve as AAK's leading expert in regulatory aspects of global innovation. This is a global role, accountable for guiding and enabling the successful market entry of novel products and processes while ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.

The Regulatory Science Manager will be the principal AAK authority on Novel Food, GRAS, and other relevant global regulatory frameworks, connecting both internal and external experts to assess requirements and define the most effective pathways to commercialization. As a part of the global R&D unit, the role will have a significant impact on AAK's long-term innovation efforts supporting and guiding scientists, business developers and senior managers with both ongoing projects as well as shaping regulatory innovation strategies.

In addition to technical and regulatory expertise, this role carries leadership responsibilities, including managing a defined budget, guiding teams and stakeholders, and supporting senior decision-making with regulatory insights.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as AAK's leading expert on Novel Food, GRAS, and other relevant regulations, ensuring regulatory rigor in innovation projects.
• Assess the novelty status of new products and technologies to determine the best pathways for market entry across multiple regions (EU, US, China, South America, etc.).
• Lead the preparation of dossiers for Novel Food and GRAS applications, working with external partners and consultants as required.
• Guide and manage the regulatory aspects of R&D activities to align with project goals, timelines, and standards.
• Monitor and interpret relevant legislation trends, ensuring proactive responses to changes in regulations.
• Review and interpret research data together with technical experts and provide clear recommendations to project leaders and stakeholders on regulatory needs.
• Support new product development by defining feasible claims and advising on (pre)clinical trial requirements for claim substantiation.
• Act as AAK's external representative and expert in regulatory discussions with customers, suppliers, innovation partners, and authorities.
• Coach and support cross-functional collaboration to ensure regulatory needs are met across R&D, operations, business development, and go-to-market functions.
• Determine methodologies and adapt regulatory work to project needs as well as manage the regulatory science budget, ensuring efficient use of resources.

About You
We are looking for a seasoned regulatory expert with strong scientific foundations, proven experience in regulatory leadership in an innovation setting, and the ability to influence both technical and strategic levels.

You bring:

• MSc or PhD in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline. Expert knowledge in assessing the novelty status of new products (EU Novel Food, US GRAS, and other regions).
• Proven experience in preparing dossiers for Novel Food and GRAS applications, including in non-EU/US markets (e.g., China, South America).
• Demonstrated ability to use regulatory expertise to guide and lead complex, cross-functional projects to successful completion.
• Strong background and broad network in regulatory frameworks in food, nutrition, and claims substantiation.
• Additionally, knowledge of food/nutrition labelling and FFSMP registrations is meriting.
• R&D experience within life sciences, food technology, organic chemistry, biochemistry, specialty ingredients or related fields is highly meriting.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to collaborate across functions and cultures.
• A proactive, solution-oriented mindset and the ability to balance innovation with regulatory compliance.

In return AAK offers

• A global expert role at the forefront of regulatory science in food innovation.
• The opportunity to support and bring the innovation pipeline to life and enabling market entry of novel products worldwide.
• Collaboration with highly skilled and engaged colleagues as well as customers, suppliers, and regulators in an international setting.
• A value-driven company culture where sustainability, innovation, and continuous improvement are central.
• A dynamic, flexible, and supportive environment that invests in your professional development.

Contact and information
Apply through our career portal, but for more information about the position, please contact:

Conor Kelly, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist at

About AAK
Everything AAK does is about
Making Better Happen.
We specialize in plant-based oils that are the value-adding ingredients in many of the products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable.

At the heart of AAK's offer is Customer Co-Development — combining our desire to understand what better means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of our production assets and our deep knowledge of many products and industries, including Chocolate and confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care.

Our 4,000 employees support our close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and more than 20 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and with our headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen for more than 150 years.

AAK prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, religion, veteran status, and any other class protected under applicable law in any aspect of employment.