Research & Development Manager

Job Overview:

The Manager Research & Development (Core) leads a team responsible for all product development within the Core R&D portfolio including front-end innovation commercialization product optimization and technical support across High Liner Foods product portfolio.

This role provides day-to-day leadership for the R&D team and project portfolio ensuring resources are effectively prioritized and projects are delivered in alignment with customer needs business objectives technical requirements and commercialization timelines.

Essential Duties and responsibilities

• Lead coach and develop a team of R&D professionals while setting priorities assigning work and ensuring accountability for project results.
• Manage the Core R&D project portfolio prioritizing resources based on business value customer timelines technical complexity risk and team capacity.
• Lead front-end innovation and product-development activities including opportunity identification ideation concept development technical feasibility and pipeline advancement.
• Translate customer needs consumer insights culinary trends and business priorities into actionable product technology and commercialization plans.
• Oversee product development and optimization through stage-gate processes including formulation benchtop testing sensory evaluations customer samples specifications shelf-life studies and validation.
• Partner with Sales Marketing Operations Engineering Quality Assurance Regulatory Procurement Supply Chain suppliers and customers to deliver successful product launches.
• Lead product scale-up and commercialization through line testing first production launch and post-commercialization review.
• Serve as an escalation point for complex product process ingredient manufacturing quality sensory and shelf-life challenges using scientific and root-cause problem-solving methods.
• Evaluate ingredient substitutions supplier changes formula modifications process improvements quality enhancements yield opportunities and cost-saving initiatives.
• Identify and advance new ingredients technologies processing methods equipment tools procedures and best practices that improve product quality manufacturing performance R&D efficiency and speed to market.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Food Science Food Engineering Culinary Science or a related technical discipline required.
• Minimum of 6 years of progressive experience in food R&D product development process development or food manufacturing.
• Minimum of 2 years of direct people-management experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing technical professionals.
• Proven experience developing and commercializing food products from concept through scale-up first production and launch.
• Experience managing multiple product-development projects plant trials technical investigations and cross-functional teams.
• Experience working within a stage-gate or structured product-development process.
• Strong technical judgment with the ability to balance customer and consumer expectations with product quality food safety cost yield manufacturing capability and business objectives.
• Seafood frozen food value-added protein coatings sauces formed products or fully cooked product experience is strongly preferred.
• Culinary training and knowledge of sensory-evaluation methodologies are assets.
• Strong project-management problem-solving decision-making organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and applicable product-development specification project-management and documentation systems.

Current employees please note: this position is referral bonus eligible! See our policy for more details.

Whats in it for you

Join High Liner Foods for a career where you shape your path backed by great benefits flexible work and a culture of diversity innovation and sustainability. Immerse yourself in opportunities to make a real impact and grow with us in our mission to nourish lives. Start your adventure where endless possibilities to thrive together await.

• Competitive Salary
• Heath dental & vision coverage
• Pay for performance incentives
• Employee & Family assistance programs
• Wellness Programs
• Retirement Planning
• Supplemental Parental Leaves
• Disability Support
• Family friendly Flex policies & Summer hours
• Volunteer hours
• Learning and mentorship opportunities
• Safety focused work environment

About High Liner Foods

Founded in 1899 in Lunenburg Nova Scotia High Liner Foods has grown from a small salt fish company into a leading North American processor and marketer of value-added frozen seafood. Our trusted brands including High Liner Fisher Boy Mirabel Sea Cuisine & Co Mrs. Pauls Van de Kamps and Icelandic Seafood are enjoyed by families restaurants and institutions across Canada and the United States.

Guided by our purpose of Reimagining Seafood to Nourish Life we combine over a century of expertise with innovation consumer insight and responsible practices to deliver high-quality seafood people can trust.

At High Liner Foods we are a people-first organization. We invest in our employees through development opportunities collaborative teamwork and a culture where safety well-being and growth are priorities. Whether in our offices plants or distribution teams our people work together to deliver excellence and drive the future of seafood.

Our Values

Serve with Purpose We put our customers and consumers at the heart of everything we do creating quality products that help to nourish lives and foster connections that go beyond the plate.

Do the Right Thing We lead with integrity act responsibly and make choices that support our people our partners and our planet..

Innovate & Reimagine We challenge the norm embrace fresh ideas and turn innovation into impact.

All Hands on Deck

Ready to make waves with us Join High Liner Foods and help shape the future of seafood.

To learn more please visit our Career/LinkedIn/Indeed page

#HLSJ

Required Experience:

Manager