R&D Laboratory Technician
Riverside Natural Foods Ltd.North York, Ontario, Canada · Posted 14 days agoDescription
Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a 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 2030, 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.
So, lace up your boots and let’s tackle the climb together.
You can learn more about us at www.riversidenaturalfoods.com.
Position Summary/Objective:
The Lab Technician plays a key role in supporting Riverside’s R&D and Innovation teams through the management of laboratory operations, stability programs, sample preparation, and project support activities. This role helps ensure that technical teams can operate efficiently by maintaining organized workspaces, managing materials and equipment, executing shelf-life students and supporting product development activities.
The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail oriented, proactive, and hands-on. They are comfortable working independently, identifying opportunities for continuous improvement, and collaborating across teams to support technical activities.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Demonstrate and uphold Riverside’s Core Values
- Lab Operations and Organization:
- Maintain an adequate stock of required ingredients and consumables using FIFO and traceability principles
- Ensure cleanliness and tidiness of lab in conjunction with technical teams
- Improve lab organization to improve efficiency of task spaces
- Develop and lead initiative to encourage good lab practices amongst the technical teams e.g. auditing of lab, disposing of old materials, labelling, cleaning of storage areas
- Organize and inventory products and ingredients in cupboards, freezers and other technical storage spaces
- Maintain R&D lab equipment and tools, including scheduled calibrations, replacements, etc.
- Collaborate with Health & Safety and Quality teams to maintain and implement laboratory person and food safety policies
- Stability Testing:
- Implementing shelf-life protocols per R&D procedures
- Organize shelf-life sample storage and prepare samples for sensory evaluations
- Conduct shelf-life tastings with R&D team
- Support scientists in shelf-life report production
- Act as SME for Compusense program
- Benchtop Sample Production
- Independently produce benchtop samples, package, and label according to R&D requirements
- Follow required procedures to ship samples to customers
- Administrative Support
- Create and manage purchase orders, track invoices, and support procurement processes for R&D and Innovation teams.
- Other duties as assigned
Reporting Relationships
The position reports to the Director, Technical Innovation
Education & Qualifications
- 1+ years of experience, preferably in food R&D, product development, sensory evaluation, laboratories, kitchens, or manufacturing environments.
- Post-secondary certificate, diploma, or degree preferred, preferably in a science or science-adjacent discipline.
- Experience in kitchens, laboratories, manufacturing environments an asset
- Proficient with MS Office, MS Outlook, MS Excel, SharePoint.
- Experience working in food R&D fields an asset, including sensory evaluation, product development, etc.
Skills & Abilities
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Proactive and self-motivated; able to see gaps and take OWNERSHIP to fill them without being asked
- Demonstrated ADAPTABILITY and GRIT when faced with setbacks, rapid change and ambiguity
- Desire for knowledge and personal skill development
- 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 lift and move ingredients, samples and equipment as required
- Ability to travel regularly between Riverside manufacturing sites (Toronto/Vaughan area)
Job Scorecard:
Key Accountabilities
Responsibility
KPI/ Metric to Measure Success
Current Year Target
Maintain functional laboratory spaces
- Lab audits – acceptable grade
80%
Run stability program testing
- % shelf life studies on track
80%
Benchtop Sample Production
Administrative Support
- % PO’s processed within SOP timelines
90%
Competencies for Success of the Role:
Key Riverside Leadership Competencies needed to be successful in this role:
Leadership Capabilities
Definition
FYI Competencies
Comments
Building Collaborative Relationships
Working with internal and external partners respectfully to build win-win relationships and foster opportunities for shared insights and success
Collaborates
Builds Networks
Resourcefulness
- Self-motivated to reach out to others and start new relationships
- Readily connects and engages with network at Riverside and externally to solve problems, fill gaps, get support, and return help
Delivers Results
Delivering results by creatively and effectively seeking the necessary resources, and using grit to tackle challenges faces along the way
Resilience
Manages Ambiguity
- Views obstacles and failure as opportunities
- Creative and resourceful to find solutions to situations where others may stumble
- Reacts to change with positivity
- Willing to take initiative
Key Riverside Functional Competencies needed to be successful in this role:
Functional Capabilities
Definition
Competencies
Comments
Project Management
Project management is the ability to effectively lead and coordinate cross-functional teams through the design, development, and implementation of projects. This includes defining project objectives, establishing timelines, managing resources, communicating essential information and ensuring adherence to Riverside's standards.
Communication
Documentation
Organization
Sensory Science
Sensory science is the scientific discipline of understanding and evaluating how consumers experience food through their senses. It involves the ability to design and conduct sensory tests, analyze sensory data and interpret consumer preferences/behaviour in order to inform product development and guide business decisions. A good understanding of sensory experimental design and statistical analysis is required to ensure robust recommendations are drawn from the data. The end goal is to drive consumer focused product development through critical interpretation of consumer and sensory data.
Sensory Evaluation
Data Collection
Statistical Analysis
Similar jobs
Est. 55,000 USD
COMPANY OVERVIEW Cresco Labs is one of the largest public, vertically integrated, multistate operators in the cannabis industry. Our portfolio of in-house cultivated and manufactured brands features some of the highest q…
Est. 105,000 USD
About Us SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trus…
Est. 95,000 USD
About Us SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trus…
Est. 125,000 USD
The Role The Director, Food Science & Product Development - Edibles is responsible for leading the Edibles product development team, bringing new edibles products to life from concept through commercialization. This…
Est. 55,000 GBP
About THG We are THG, a global ecommerce group on a mission to be the global online leader in beauty and sports nutrition. Our portfolio of leading retailers and brands such as LOOKFANTASTIC, Myprotein, ESPA, Perricone M…
Est. 140,000 USD
The Role The Director, Technology Applications provides strategic and tactical leadership and works in collaboration with the IT Leadership team and Business Partners to deliver integrated technology solutions. From an A…
Est. 45,000 GBP
About THG We are THG, a global ecommerce group on a mission to be the global online leader in beauty and sports nutrition. Our portfolio of leading retailers and brands such as LOOKFANTASTIC, Myprotein, ESPA, Perricone M…
Est. 95,000 USD
fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based nutrition company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and dairy products to nourish consumers. With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife’s portfolio of delicious, lactose-free…
Est. 85,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Est. 45,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Est. 85,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Est. 55,000 GBP
SUMMARY We are looking for a Senior Business Analyst who is highly client facing focused and eager to help shape the future of our digital products. The successful candidate will play a key role in delivering an exciting…
Est. 120,000 GBP
By bringing together next-gen technology and the finest live data available, Genius Sports is enabling a new era of sports for fans worldwide, delivering experiences that are more immersive, interactive and personalized…
Est. 65,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Est. 45,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Est. 115,000 USD
About Us SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trus…
Est. 65,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Est. 125,000 USD
The Role The Director of Product Development - Edibles is responsible for leading the Edibles product development team, bringing new edibles products to life from concept through commercialization. This role owns the pro…
Est. 115,000 USD
fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based nutrition company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and dairy products to nourish consumers. With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife’s portfolio of delicious, lactose-free…
Est. 120,000 USD
About Us SharkNinja is a global product design and technology company, with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trus…
Est. 85,000 USD
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment) is a leader in live entertainment, delivering unforgettable experiences while forging deep connections with diverse and passionate audiences. The Company’s po…
Est. 95,000 USD
Standard Nuclear is fueling America’s nuclear renaissance at industrial scale. Our mission is to deliver the essential building blocks of nuclear power—enabling cost-effective, safe, and secure energy for the world. The…
Est. 85,000 USD
The Role The Social Impact Specialist will join Green Thumb’s Social Impact team to support the Manager of Social Impact in the development, implementation, and ongoing management of Green Thumb’s Social Impact programs…
Est. 65,000 GBP
Why Choose Bottomline? Are you ready to transform the way businesses pay and get paid? Bottomline is a global leader in business payments and cash management, with over 35 years of experience and moving more than $16 tri…
About Rimes Rimes provides the Intelligence Fabric for Capital Markets, a trusted data network and intelligence architecture that transforms fragmented data, operations and workflows into decision-grade intelligence. The…
Est. 115,000 USD
Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare-earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, a…
Est. 45,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Why Valtech? We’re the experience innovation company - a trusted partner to the world’s most recognized brands. To our people we offer growth opportunities, a values-driven culture, international careers and the chance t…
Est. 85,000 USD
As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SU…
Est. 140,000 USD
Are you passionate about translating cutting-edge science into meaningful outcomes for patients? Join a collaborative, high-performing medical communications team where your scientific expertise directly informs impactfu…