Senior Product Developer

Overview

Senior Product Developer – Bakery

Location:

Stoney Creek

Industry: Bakery

The Company:
Our client is a well-established commercial bakery headquartered in Hamilton, Ontario. They are a growth-oriented manufacturer with a strong market presence and an entrepreneurial culture that genuinely values innovation.

As they invest in building out their R&D capability, they are adding a senior product development professional who will serve as the cornerstone of that function.

This is a rare chance to own the entire product development mandate — not inherit it.

You will be the company's primary R&D resource, with full accountability for new product development, formulation, commercialization, and continuous improvement.

Over time, as the business scales, you will have the opportunity to build and lead a team beneath you. If you ve been looking for a role where your fingerprints are on the innovation strategy from day one, this is it.

• Lead end-to-end product development across the full bakery portfolio — cakes, pastries, sweet goods, and adjacent categories — from concept through commercial launch
• Drive reformulation, cost optimization, ingredient substitutions, and process improvements that impact yield, consistency, and margin
• Conduct bench trials, plant trials, and scale-up activities in close collaboration with Operations and Quality
• Translate customer briefs and market signals into commercially viable product solutions
• Support sales presentations, customer-facing tastings, and innovation meetings
• Maintain full technical documentation for both Canadian and U.S. regulatory requirements
• Cultivate supplier relationships and collaborate with Procurement on ingredient sourcing and alternatives
• Act as a cross-functional partner to Sales, Operations, Quality, and senior leadership

• Degree or diploma in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemistry, or a related discipline
• 5+ years of R&D or product development experience within commercial baking or food manufacturing
• Deep knowledge of bakery ingredient functionality, current vendor landscape, shelf life, food safety, and production processes
• Proven experience taking products from benchtop to full commercial scale
• Working knowledge of CFIA and FDA labeling regulations, nutritional requirements, and food safety standards
• Experience preparing specs, nutritional panels, and technical documentation
• Familiarity with ERP systems and nutrition software is a plus
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage competing priorities without losing momentum
• A self-starter mindset — hands-on, solutions-focused, and comfortable operating with autonomy

High visibility. Real ownership. A direct line to leadership and a genuine path to building and leading your own team as the function grows.

If you re energized by the idea of shaping innovation culture from the ground up inside a business that s ready to invest in it — we d like to hear from you.

Confidential search — employer details shared with qualified candidates upon initial conversation.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply directly or reach out confidentially.