Senior R&D Specialist in Vaughan

Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a $300 million+ Canadian-based, family-owned, and globally operating business, committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As a B-Corp certified, Triple-Bottom Line company, we proudly manufacture nutritious, 'better-for-you' snacks such as MadeGood and GOOD TO GO. We value teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, grit, and fun.

We’re on an ambitious mission to double our business by 2027, and we need talented individuals like you to help us reach new heights. At Riverside, you’ll have the opportunity to chart your own path to success while contributing to ours. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and our values will guide us through the rugged terrain – and yes, it will get rough. But that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.

This position is responsible to develop a portfolio of branded and private label pet food & treats from idea to commercialization.

Primary Responsibilities

• Demonstrate and uphold Riverside’s Core Values.
• Research and stay abreast of latest pet food and ingredient trends, seeking out novel and/or functional ingredients related to pet food and snacking.
• Provide technical guidance to cross-functional teams like Marketing on opportunities based on research.
• Partner with procurement to source new ingredients to provide functional benefits to pets, complying with Riverside's supplier quality requirements.
• Develop new formulations to expand the RNF Pet’s product offering, meeting target costs and timeline.
• Complete all necessary steps including sourcing of new ingredients, developing prototypes, benchmarking against competitors, validating final formulation.
• Work in conjunction with R&D Manager to fulfill product design requirements for PL customers.
• Plan & execute plant trials, using results to make recommendations and actionable next steps.
• Validate manufacturing process for new products.
• Lead projects to improve productivity, quality, & consistency; engage all stakeholders throughout project.
• Participate with R&D manager and engineering to identify and specify requirements for new technology to improve manufacturing of existing product lines.
• Execute the R&D validation of new equipment to expand capacity.
• Deliver and maintain process specification & finished product specification.
• Maintain up-to-date ingredient & finished product information in Genesis software and customer specific specifications.
• Commit to dealing with suppliers and the TEAM in a RESPECTFUL and authentic manner.
• Execute special projects to improve R&D capabilities.
• Keep updated documentation of assigned projects.
• Keep the work atmosphere FUN by keeping it light and welcoming.

Education & Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree in Food Science, Engineering or Nutrition.
• Proven experience with product development life cycle (3+ years) in the Pet Food/Snack category.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to work independently and prioritize workload.
• Delivers results in context of time and budget constraints.
• Ability to take OWNERSHIP and prioritize workload.
• PASSIONATE and brings enthusiasm to everything we do.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Desire for career growth and personal skill development.
• Exceptional time management and organizational skills, self-starter with a high level of initiative and AGILITY.
• Desire for personal skill development keeping a HUMBLE approach throughout.

What We Expect

• Values-led: You’ll be a member of a thoughtful and compassionate team that prioritizes respect, teamwork and resourcefulness along with a good dash of fun.
• Unparalleled experiences and opportunities: Help us shape what this organization will look like and what we’ll offer the world, into the future.
• Access to everyone: We’re a flat organization with few silos which means you’ll have full access to everyone from our founders to our production staff.
• Personal development: We’ll support and empower you to chart your own path and reach any heights you set for yourself.
• Gratitude: We value you and show our true gratitude and appreciation.

What We Offer

• Values-led: Every step you take must align with our values, no compromises.
• Courageous determination: You must be willing to try, ask and answer challenging questions, test and learn.
• Humility: We pride ourselves in being respectful and supportive of others while shining brightly through our innovative, high-quality products.
• Continuous improvement: We rely on each other to continuously improve everything we touch.

How To Apply: If you have the commitment to excellence, the energy, the attitude and experience we need, then please submit your resume to careers(AT)riversidenaturals.com with the job title you are applying for in the subject line or click the apply button!

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you have a disability and require accommodation in the interview process, please let us know when you apply. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, due to volume, please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.