Product Technologist Jobs

Referred applicants should not apply directly to this role.

All referred applicants must first be submitted through Workday by a current Loblaw Colleague.

Location:

1 Presidents Choice Circle, Brampton, Ontario, L6Y 5S5

At Loblaw, we help millions of Canadians get through their best days, worst days, celebration days, and every day. Through our innovation and quality products, we’re here for our friends, neighbours, family members and colleagues.

We succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us.

We’re looking for adaptable people who are thrilled to join us in our goal of helping Canadians Live Life Well®. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong. We promote leaders at every level and support our people to follow their passion.

Product Technologist

All of our Loblaw control labels and brands make us proud because they follow our philosophy of taking something good and making it better – and that’s what our customers expect when they shop in our stores. It’s been true since the introduction of The Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookie, and it’s still true today, with our PC G.R.E.E.N and PC Organics products.

We market our control label products in the food, health and beauty, apparel and general merchandise categories under brand names that include President’s Choice, Life, no name, Blue Menu, Joe Fresh, Club Pack, PC Organics, PC G.R.E.E.N, and Exact.

Role Mandate:

The Product Technologist is responsible for the identification and development of products with accountability for vendor management for safety and quality standards of products. The Product Technologist works collaboratively with various areas (Category Management, Vendors, Regulatory Affairs, Product Manager and Quality Assurance) in developing strategic category initiatives, product concepts and customer satisfaction through ongoing product quality monitoring. Development is focused on supporting category objectives and leading consumer driven innovation into the market. Key to this role: Industry specific manufacturing and production knowledge, the ability to define internal constraints and vendor capabilities and fundamental technical knowledge of assigned categories. This role also is responsible for establishing specification standards for new products and ensuring that appropriate controls are in place to deliver those standards consistently to our customer.

What You'll Do:

• Attend plant trials and first productions (as required) to ensure vendors are capable of producing consistent product, deliver product and process targets, understand variability of process and work with vendor to develop clear standards including targets and acceptable product standards and specifications for new products.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining Control Brand product specifications. Work with vendors and category to develop clear standards including targets and acceptable product standards and specifications including production process targets and tolerances.
• Maintain brand integrity by upholding all Corporate Safety, Quality and Brand Standards at all times.
• Provide product development, product safety, regulatory and quality assurance details ( as appropriate) to scope brief.
• Ensures factories have adequate quality systems in place to ensure continuous product safety and consistency through review of 3rd party audit reports, government licenses, etc.
• Plans, coordinates and conducts all sensory, physical, and chemical evaluations of potential new products required for product approval before commercialization to ensure all products meet the desired attributes and quality standards consistent to market, corporate and regulatory needs.
• Proactively seek resolution to Inquires, Complaints and Vendor Performance issues ; resolving within appropriate timelines and ensure vendor accountability for newly launched products
• Work with vendors and internal stakeholder through all stages of the CB development process to ensure product and quality specifications are developed and maintained. Support, drive and monitor vendor execution around the introduction of new innovative concepts, delivery formats or packaging designs to develop new and existing CB products.
• Must have functional knowledge of relevant non-food categories, including key understanding of various manufacturing techniques, knowledge of related ingredients and properties in various applications, knowledge of process variables that impact final product
• Researches, recommends and executes the introduction of new innovative concepts, ingredients, delivery formats, or packaging designs to develop new and existing Control Brands products.
• Attend productions and/or conduct sample evaluation to ensure product quality, consistency, spec compliance, license requirements and determine on-going acceptability of existing products
• Remain up-to-date on market, product safety, quality and regulatory trends, industry issues, and initiatives in responsible categories
• Provide technical leadership to business before vendor onboarding to make sure that vendor meets Loblaw product development Quality assurance and Regulatory requirements. Ensure brand and project targets are being met. Work with Regulatory team to ensure regulatory requirements are met.
• Provide urgency and leadership during participation in investigations involving incident management

What You'll Need:

• Creative problem solving skills
• Travel will be required and will include local, national and international
• Minimum 1-2 years experience working in a manufacturing environment
• 3-5 years of experience developing consumer products include pet food, consumer cleaning and paper products with demonstrated knowledge of formulations, associated testing, regulatory, product claims and quality assurance
• Interpersonal skills with the ability to work and collaborate in a team oriented environment, including cross-functional Project Teams involving members from Regulatory, Legal, Marketing, Category, as well as vendor R&D personnel with minimal supervision as a team member
• Excellent oral/written communication skills, interpersonal skills and relationship management
• Straightforward practical way of thinking about things or dealing with problems,
• Result oriented
• Is ready and willing to work in a fast-paced environment and display the ability to handle multiple priorities and demonstrate strong problem solving skills
• Able to influence and interact effectively with all levels at retail/distribution, vendor and office locations
• Post-secondary university degree in material science, chemical engineering, chemistry or similar area of study

Loblaw is committed to sustainability by sourcing products with integrity and making a positive difference in the community. Our CORE Values – Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence – guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits – these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Greenest Employers & Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.

Employment Type:

Full time

Type of Role:

Regular

We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Please Note:  

Candidates who are 18 years or older are required to complete a criminal background check. Details will be provided through the application process.