Product Development Specialist

Export Packers•Brampton, ON

2d•CA$80,000 - CA$105,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Product Development Specialist owns assigned product development projects from concept through commercialization, working under the direction of the Director, Product Development. The role combines technical product work—scoping, formulation, sample development, sensory evaluation, and documentation—with cross-functional collaboration across Sales, QA, Procurement, Marketing, and Operations, as well as external coordination with packers and suppliers.

Requirements

Minimum of 3-5 years of experience in product development, quality assurance or production.
Experience with project management or product commercialization (concept to market).
Familiarity with CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) regulations required.
High computer literacy & proficiency (Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams and Power-point) (Genesis experience an asset.)
Passion for food and open to taste a variety of food products
Understand and follow market trends (Ingredients flavours and consumer trends)
Excellent analytical skills, organized and able to prioritize projects and tasks

Nice To Haves

Experience in Proteins and or Seafood would be an asset.
Experience in Skinpack packaging product design would be an asset.
Culinary or Production background helpful, organoleptic sensory evaluation experience an asset.

Responsibilities

Lead and execute all aspects of assigned product development projects including: Liaising with key stakeholders to understand business strategy, gathering critical inputs, coordinating project workflow, documentation, leading/attending plant trials, preparing samples for customers and internal presentation and cuttings, and distribution of samples.
Provide technical support to Sales and Marketing to determine product attributes for development, to support product launch plans, and to liaise with customer PD and QA teams as required.
Collaborate on packaging attributes, sources, labelling requirements and capabilities with production and suppliers, Procurement, Marketing and QA.
Collaborate on regulatory and food safety requirements with QA and partner laboratories to develop nutrition statements, ingredient declarations and preparation and handling instructions.
Develop product specifications in collaboration with Procurement and Suppliers: Scoping development briefs, product formulations, standard operating procedures and CCP’s, NFT standards.
Conduct cost engineering and shelf-life testing to support product commercialization and ongoing product performance.
Evaluate and document competitive products.
Develop, grow and lead relationships, as assigned, with suppliers and secondary ingredient suppliers in order to bring new ideas to the company.
Other duties as assigned