Senior Scientist

Welcome to Daiya Foods, where we are reimagining comfort foods that are irresistible and better for you. Today, as dairy‑free food grows in popularity, that spirit of innovation continues to inspire our team. Our diverse portfolio of great-tasting foods invites everyone to the table.

Our dedication to minimizing environmental impact extends across our operations. We operate in a manufacturing facility and office that is LEED certified, embodying our commitment to sustainability through the leadership in energy and environmental design principles.

Join our team of food-loving Daiyans, where our shared passion, vision, and ability to bring smiles to each other's faces fuel our journey of dairy‑free exploration.

The R&D Sr. Scientist is a self‑motivated and curious individual, focused on delivering products and technical solutions across our categories. The R&D Sr. Scientist develops formulations and processes, conducts analytical and scale‑up testing, and commercializes new solutions. The role is responsible for leading the planning, coordination, and execution for key innovation, line extension, and product and process improvement projects from the ideation to launch stage.

End‑to‑End Product Development and Technical Execution

• Plan, lead, and execute technical R&D work across multiple product development projects.
• Develop new and modify existing formulations and processes at benchtop, pilot plant, and production scale.
• Design, conduct, and analyze experiments, including sensory, analytical, microbiological, and shelf‑life testing.
• Develop prototypes and finished products that meet defined technical targets.
• Enter ingredients, formulate products, and generate NFPs and ingredient statements using Genesis.

Innovation, Research and Technical Feasibility

• Research new technologies and industry trends to identify practical applications and business benefits.
• Participate in ideation and lead technical feasibility assessments for new projects.
• Research, source, and communicate new product concepts, preparation methods, ingredients, flavours, product use, processes, packaging, and nutritional requirements.
• Source and evaluate ingredients, packaging, and related materials from suppliers.

Commercialization and Manufacturing Readiness

• Plan, coordinate, and execute pilot and plant trials.
• Collaborate with FSQA and Operations to develop commercialization and hand‑off plans, including quality, food safety, documentation, specifications, training, and ongoing support.
• Lead and troubleshoot production start‑ups and hand‑offs in‑house and at co‑packers.
• Build and maintain relationships with external stakeholders, including co‑manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, technical services, and equipment suppliers.
• Collaborate with the R&D Sensory team to run tests that inform project progress and product improvements.

Documentation, Standards and R&D Lab Excellence

• Maintain accurate records of all project plans, technical work and required SR&ED and funding documentation.
• Lead the development and revision of SOPs and testing methods.
• Participate in the maintenance of the R&D lab, including equipment calibration, organization, and cleanliness.
• Assist the R&D Lab team with documentation for new samples and raw materials.

• Bachelor’s degree of Science or Engineering in Food Science, Process Engineering, etc.
• Five (5) years of related experience in food processing or product development, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Experience working with Canadian and U.S.A food standards and regulations.
• Proficiency in PLM, formulation, or nutrition analysis systems (e.g., Genesis, SKU Safe) to manage ingredients, formulations, specifications, and compliant product labeling.

RELATED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES

• Deep understanding of the product development lifecycle, ingredient functionality, food processing, and manufacturing principles.
• Strong expertise in formulation science, with the ability to strategically adjust ingredients and processing variables to achieve desired sensory, functional, and nutritional outcomes.
• Highly developed hands‑on culinary and technical lab…