Food Technologist - Technical Innovation

The Food Technologist on the Technical Innovation team will be responsible for supporting Innovation and new product development at Riverside. The Food Technologist should be a creative self-starter with an aptitude for learning and applying knowledge of food science principles to different scenarios. The candidate should have a solid foundation in applied science and a demonstrated skill and interest with recipe development and/or culinary arts.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate and uphold Riverside’s Core Values; Participate in identification of new innovation opportunities to meet Riverside’s current needs and future growth plans; Keep abreast of industry trends in the global snack marketplace and beyond; Attend trade shows, seminars, customer/vendor meetings, etc. as needed; Build collaborative relationships with existing or new ingredient vendor partners; Develop new recipes and flavours with guidance in line with required brand attributes, cost targets, timelines, certifications (e.g. Kosher, Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free, etc.), and other relevant food safety, regulatory and quality parameters; Complete proof of principle research and testing to ensure feasibility and readiness of new products for refinement and launch in large scale manufacturing; Perform testing at lab scale, pilot scale or full-scale manufacturing trials both internally and externally to ensure feasibility of product; Use sound scientific evidence to seek truth, rather than success or failure. Use this information to make informed decisions and provide actionable insights with guidance; Select, execute, and interpret sensory evaluation tests with guidance; Clearly communicate findings to cross-functional and non-technical stakeholders; Collaborate with brand marketing teams to ensure alignment with market & consumer trends, brand guardrails and technical feasibility; Manage projects and conduct technical risk assessments while collaborating with multiple stakeholders under supervision; Develop and maintain accurate project records to ensure seamless transitions of project ownership and capture learnings from project successes and failures; Execute projects to improve R&D or Innovation processes & capabilities; Respect and promote the company’s health and safety program; Manage timeline and documentation of personal project load; Demonstrate adaptability when faced with changes to project scope and timelines; Support fellow R&D and Technical Innovation colleagues as needed; Other duties as required

Requirements

Post-secondary degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Engineering, or related field; Experience in Food Research and Development (1-3 years), ideally a portion in food/recipe/product innovation development; Co-op/intern experience acceptable; Experience working in kitchens, laboratories, pilot plants, and/or manufacturing facilities; Proficient with MS Office, MS Outlook, MS Excel, SharePoint; Proactive and self-motivated; able to see gaps and take OWNERSHIP to fill them without being asked; Analytical and problem-solving skills, driven to seek honest answers; Disciplined; uses food science fundamentals and maintains technical rigour in everyday work; Demonstrated ADAPTABILITY and GRIT when faced with setbacks, rapid change and ambiguity; Creative flair; pushes the boundaries to find unconventional solutions; Embraces discomfort, HUMBLE and excited to explore new challenges and territories; PASSIONATE for innovation and brings enthusiasm daily; Deep desire for knowledge, personal skill development and career growth; Excellent time management and organizational skills; can function independently; Known as a TEAM player, who is skilled in collaboration and operates with RESPECT; Ability to sample Riverside brands’ products and ingredients or products of interest; Ability to travel regularly to Riverside manufacturing sites (Toronto/Vaughan area) and occasionally nationally/internationally (5%)

Nice to have

Experience in bakery, slab, sweet or savoury snack foods, confectionary, dessert, inclusions, or chocolate is preferred; Experience with Genesis, Specright, Monday.com, SAP an asset

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits program with costs covered by Riverside; RRSP matching or 401k matching; Profit Sharing Plan; Employee-Led Resource Groups (ERGs); Riverside University program; Tuition Reimbursement Program; Open concept work environment