Laboratory Technician

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.   

• →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

• →Values-led: You’ll be a member of a thoughtful and compassionate team that prioritizes respect, teamwork and resourcefulness along with a good dash of fun. Sometimes, even making granola bars is hard, and life’s too short to take ourselves so seriously that we don’t enjoy the journey.
• →Unparalleled experiences and opportunities: We’re still determining who we are and what we can be. Help us shape what this organization will look like and what we’ll offer the world, into the future. This means rolling up your sleeves and sometimes building the process – fast! – while employing it. At Riverside, progress occasionally means proceeding imperfectly, and we’re okay with that, as long as we’re staying true to our values and learning and improving along the way.
• →Access to everyone: We’re a flat organization with few silos which means you’ll have full access to everyone from our founders to our production staff. Even when employees dress up, they wear steel-toed shoes. So don’t be shy. Speak up, share your ideas and go places you normally wouldn’t – like the plant, or the boardroom.
• →Personal development: We’ll support and empower you to chart your own path and reach any heights you set for yourself. Career paths at Riverside are carved by the people walking on them, not dictated by leaders. Count on us to give you the training and tools to grow and progress.
• →Gratitude: As a growing business, we can’t always offer formal recognition like awards programs, but we do show our true gratitude and appreciation. At Riverside, we’re all in this together and we value you.
  
• →Be a Riverside Brand Ambassador: Stay relentlessly close to our consumers and represent the brand in every interaction, decision, and deliverable. Bring the consumer voice into your work by protecting product quality, availability, and experience, acting early when standards slip, and delivering consistent value that earns trust, advocacy, and long-term brand love.

The position reports to the Director, Technical Innovation

• 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.

• 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)

If you have the commitment to excellence, the energy, the attitude and experience we need, then please submit your resume to careers(AT)riversidenaturals.com with the job title you are applying for in the subject line or click the apply button!

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you have a disability and require accommodation in the interview process, please let us know when you apply. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, due to volume, please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Disclaimer: As part of our recruitment process, we may use technology-assisted tools, including automated systems, to support the review and assessment of applications. These tools do not make final hiring decisions. All decisions related to screening, interviewing, and selection are made by our Talent Acquisition and hiring teams.