Product Innovation and Development Specialist - Cheese

Job Type: Temporary (Fixed-term)

People are at the heart of our success. Our culture encourages collaboration, transparency, and accountability to generate value and achieve sustainable results. Being part of the team means committing to an environment where everyone's impact truly matters.

*At Agropur, accountability means taking ownership of the issues and acting concretely to achieve results.*

An environment that gives you the means to act

• Maternity leave replacement
• Collective insurance plan
• Employee assistance program
• Opportunity to invest in yourself (career development, etc.)
• Salary scale 005: $88,300 to $110,400 (The base salary will be determined based on your academic background, experience, training, and skills relevant to the position.)

What you will be responsible for on a daily basis

The Product Innovation and Development Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating, and participating in product and process innovation activities, product development, and technical services. The incumbent carries out the projects assigned to them in terms of innovation, cost reduction, product portfolio optimization, and new product development, with the goal of bringing innovative solutions to market at a competitive cost.

This person also works closely with clients to meet their technical needs and requirements, while collaborating transversally with internal and external stakeholders.

Additionally, they provide technical support to category teams and production sites for initiatives aimed at reducing costs or optimizing manufacturing process performance, while maintaining or improving product functionality, quality, and performance.

• Design, plan, supervise, and implement assigned processes and/or product development projects in accordance with applicable processes and procedures (from ideation to commercialization).
• Lead innovation and development activities aligned with the category strategy to create new food products or improve existing ones.
• Execute all applicable steps in product/process development, such as: laboratory work, pilot testing, industrial trials, and qualification on applicable manufacturing sites.
• Create and maintain product specifications and formulations (product characteristics, costs, process parameters, analysis, ingredients, etc.).
• Participate in product sensory testing using internal and external panels.
• Work closely with R&D laboratory technologists and collaborate with internal partners, serving as a technical expert for various departments, including marketing, operations, regulation, engineering, and procurement.
• Also work closely with various external suppliers of goods and services (procurement and evaluation/qualification) while adhering to the company's best practices.
• Work with B2B partners (private labels, industrial clients, co-manufacturers).
• Identify and act on opportunities to reduce costs or optimize the performance of our products and processes.
• Ensure liaison and collaboration with manufacturing plants to resolve issues and/or complaints.
• Identify and evaluate new technologies and processes that could enable key innovations and may be necessary to collaborate on research projects.
• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations in coordination with the regulatory affairs department.

The profile that will take ownership of the role

• A bachelor's degree in food science and technology, biotechnology engineering, microbiology, nutrition science, pharmaceutical science, or another relevant field is required.
• A minimum of three (3) years of experience in research and development, or product development for a food manufacturer, is required.
• Relevant experience in the dairy industry (an asset).
• An equivalent combination of education and/or experience may be considered.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in French and English. (English required to work with colleagues and clients from other Canadian provinces).
• An environment that values commitment and encourages everyone to take charge.

*Agropur welcomes people from all backgrounds and horizons. We are proud to be an employer with a diverse community and are committed to offering a respectful and inclusive experience to all employees and candidates. We will therefore collaborate with candidates who request accommodations. Please note that adequate knowledge of French is required for positions offered in Quebec. Agropur uses artificial intelligence technologies to support recruiters in the pre-selection, evaluation, and selection of candidates for this position.* *In this text, the use of the masculine form to refer to people is solely for the purpose of lightening the text. In accordance with the OQLF guidelines, knowledge of English is required for this position to communicate with colleagues and partners located outside of Quebec.*