R&D Food Scientist (15 month contract)

Maker's Pride Talent Acquisition Team•Kitchener, ON

9d•Onsite

About The Position

Maker’s Pride is a leading contract manufacturer in North America & Canada with 25 manufacturing facilities across four product platforms. The R&D Food Scientist L1 – NBI (New Bakery & Innovation R&D Platform) is a technical position within the greater R&D team. This role requires a self-motivated, technically curious & creative, customer-focused candidate who will work comfortably cross-functionally on the New Bakery & Innovation Business Platform (NBI) with Operations, Sales, Quality, Regulatory, Marketing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, Project Management and Engineering to drive results within Maker's Pride.

Requirements

Excellent project management, critical thinking, organizational, and leadership skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Experience with nutrition analysis and labeling software (ESHA Genesis, ASD Product Vision, or similar)
Familiarity with Regulatory standards, nutritional labeling, and product safety protocols
A desire to drive your future and accelerate your career while leading, coaching and mentoring others
B.S./M.S. in Food Science, Bakery Science, Culinary Science, Agricultural Science or similar is required
0-2 years of relevant experience

Nice To Haves

Basic knowledge of commercial Bakery production equipment and processes is preferred
Internship experience
Baking experience preferred

Responsibilities

Works on the bakery projects in the Core Bakery R&D platform from concepts, ingredient sourcing, reformulating, cost management and product life cycle maintenance
Balance multiple assignments/tasks concurrently and demonstrate the ability to work independently or to lead a team within R&D
Sets goals, specifications and manages production plant trials
Works closely in cross-functional teams including Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Food Safety and Finance to design food products that meet nutrition guidelines, claims on pack and can be produced cost effectively across the many MP plants domestically
Upon completion of successful trials, turnover the production phase to Operations with set specifications, process instructions, appropriate yields and run rates
Understands the business need, designs, implements tests, analyzes data, draws conclusions, documents, communicates results, and commercializes products
Positively and proactively interacts with customers, prospects, R&D management and all colleagues to keep projects on track
Travels and then collaborates with plant personnel in production facilities
Assists, all Bakery R&D, upon availability to drive improvements in production processes to ensure consistency, efficiency, and waste reduction in manufacturing across production lines
Manages some incoming new projects cross functionally
Leads bench, pilot plant and production trials on new projects
Manages new formulas within targeted costs for Private Label which can get produced commercially on the MP manufacturing lines across multiple MP plants to drive revenue growth
Translates market trends and the consumer/business needs into innovative products and packages that can be commercialized in a fast-paced environment
Has knowledge of suppliers, food manufacturers, trends, technological advancements, and ingredient innovations, incorporating them into product development
Influences, manages projects/people, and solves problems effectively and efficiently
Brings an entrepreneurial spirit and growth
Drives improvements in production processes to ensure consistency, efficiency, and waste reduction in manufacturing
Proactively works with Procurement and suppliers to source innovative ingredients that align with product goals and enhance margin
Enables cross functional business decisions
Provides training and support to Operations staff on new recipes and processes
Stays up-to-date on Bakery trends and competitive products through Marketing Insights
Stays up-to-date with industry developments, ingredients, and emerging technologies
Engages with customers and Sales teams to ensure that products meet consumer preferences and brand positioning
Attends industry conferences, trade shows, and meetings with customers while identifying market needs and new business opportunities
Collaborates with the Regulatory team to ensure all product formulations comply with food safety regulations and labeling standards
Works with Legal and Regulatory teams to manage product claims, certifications (e.g., gluten-free, organic) and ingredient transparency
Ability to manage a high-volume workflow in a fast paced, action-oriented environment
Works closely with cross-functional teams including Business Development, Supply Chain, and Packaging to develop products that drive revenue results to meet the company’s goals
Communicates findings, challenges, and solutions effectively with stakeholders at various levels on regular intervals and through structured 1:1s