Job Description

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

Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is the proactive approach of consistently seeking to enhance products, processes and performance over time. It involves regularly assessing and refining R&D/Innovation activities, Riverside products and ways of working to reduce waste, increase efficiency, ensure quality and maximize the consumer experience.

Problem-solving

Learning

Reciprocating Feedback