Director of Research Development

Job Description

Title: Director of Research & Development

Industry: Food Manufacturing

Location: Montreal, QC

Working Hours: Monday - Friday

Compensation and Benefits: $130k-$160k, Medical benefits, vacation, other

This position is only open to residents of Canada who have legal work authorization.

About our client who is hiring for this position:

Our client is a well-established, locally recognized food manufacturer experiencing rapid, large-scale growth. Known for their strong market presence and commitment to quality, they are expanding operations significantly and seeking top talent to support their continued success.

About the Role:

The Director of Research and Development (R&D) leads all product innovation, formulation, and process development initiatives for flour- and dough-based products. This role is responsible for creating high-quality, scalable, and cost-effective products that meet customer expectations and comply with all food safety and quality standards. The Director works cross-functionally with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, and Sales to bring new products from concept to commercialization while continuously improving existing formulations and manufacturing processes.

Skills

• Strong leadership, communication, and project management abilities.
• Expertise in ingredient functionality, formulation optimization, and process scale-up.
• Familiarity with sensory evaluation methods and analytical testing.
• Proficient in using formulation management and product lifecycle software.
• Creative thinker with strong problem-solving and analytical skills.

Experience

• 7+ years of progressive experience in food product development, with a strong focus on flour, dough, bakery, or frozen food manufacturing.
• Proven track record of leading R&D teams and bringing products successfully from concept to market.
• In-depth technical knowledge of flour functionality, dough rheology, fermentation, and baking science.
• Experience working in GFSI-certified facilities and collaborating with QA/QC and regulatory teams.

Key Responsibilities

Product Innovation & Development

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of new flour and dough formulations (e.g., breads, pastries, pizza, flatbreads, frozen doughs, batters).
• Translate market trends and customer needs into innovative product concepts.
• Partner with marketing and sales to develop a strategic innovation pipeline aligned with business goals.
• Conduct lab and pilot-scale experiments to test ingredient functionality, fermentation behavior, and baking performance.

Process & Technical Development

• Develop and optimize production processes to ensure scalability, consistency, and efficiency.
• Collaborate with engineering and operations to validate new equipment, processes, and technologies.
• Lead process validation, shelf-life studies, and sensory evaluations to ensure product performance and quality.
• Establish standardized documentation for formulations, batch sheets, and process specifications.

Ingredient & Material Research

• Evaluate new flours, grains, enzymes, emulsifiers, and improvers to enhance dough functionality and performance.
• Work with suppliers to identify and qualify innovative ingredients that improve product quality, texture, and nutritional value.
• Maintain expertise in dough rheology, gluten structure, fermentation kinetics, and ingredient interactions.

Collaboration & Leadership

• Lead and mentor a team of food scientists, technologists, and lab staff.
• Work closely with Quality Assurance to ensure new formulations meet all regulatory, labeling, and food safety requirements.
• Partner with Operations to ensure seamless product scale-up and commercialization.
• Collaborate with Procurement to optimize ingredient sourcing and cost efficiencies.

Continuous Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives for existing products-enhancing taste, texture, shelf life, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Utilize data and analytical tools to monitor performance and identify opportunities for optimization.
• Maintain awareness of emerging food technologies and trends, including clean label, plant-based, and sustainable ingredient developments.