Company Overview:

We are passionate about making simply the best cakes! Our roots go back to 1960s Naples, Italy where our family's passion for the art of baking and enjoying great food inspired us to create the bakery we have today. In 1986, La Rocca Bakery opened its doors in a suburb of Toronto, Canada. Today, the tradition of offering classic, memorable recipes lives on as we continue to innovate with new and exciting flavors. Our cakes are now available in thousands of grocery, food service, and fine food distributors across North America.

Role Overview:

We are a leading dessert manufacturer seeking an innovative and skilled R&D Food Scientist/Commercializer with a background in food science to join our team. This role is ideal for a professional who combines culinary expertise with food science knowledge to create and optimize high-quality desserts at scale. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing new dessert recipes, refining production processes, and ensuring that products meet the highest standards of taste, texture, and shelf stability. Your passion for culinary innovation will help drive the future success of the La Rocca brand.

Reports to: Vice President R&D / Continuous Improvement

Key Responsibilities:

Product Development : Design, develop, and test innovative cake recipes that align with market trends and company goals, focusing on superior taste, texture, and visual appeal.
Scale-Up Processes : Collaborate with production teams to transition small-batch recipes to large-scale, production-ready formulations while maintaining quality, stability, and consistency.
Quality Assurance : Partner with quality assurance and R&D teams to ensure products meet food safety standards, desired sensory profiles, and storage stability.
Functional Ingredient Optimization : Leverage knowledge of functional ingredients, such as stabilizers and emulsifiers to enhance texture, structure, and overall cake quality.
Process Improvement : Analyze and refine current manufacturing processes, recommending adjustments to improve production efficiency and cost-effectiveness while minimizing waste.
Regulatory Compliance : Ensure all products adhere to relevant food safety, labeling, and regulatory standards.
Collaboration & Training : Work closely with production staff to train and guide on new recipes, processes, and techniques, ensuring consistent quality in every batch.
Innovation & Trend Analysis : Stay updated on industry trends, emerging ingredients, and consumer preferences to inspire and guide product development.

Qualifications:

Education : Degree or diploma in Pastry Arts, Culinary Science, Food Science, or related field.
Experience : 3+ years as a Pastry Chef, Product Developer or Food Scientist in a large-scale manufacturing environment, specifically with experience in cakes or similar products. Experience with large-scale, collaborative project management.
Technical Skills : Proficiency in recipe formulation, functional ingredient applications, and large-scale production of cakes.
Analytical Skills : Strong ability to analyze and interpret sensory, microbiological, and chemical data for product optimization.
Creativity & Innovation : Demonstrated ability to develop creative, market-aligned cakes with unique flavours and textures.
Attention to Detail : Highly attentive to quality and detail, especially in maintaining consistency in flavour, texture, and appearance across large production runs. Highly organized and methodical.
Knowledge of Regulations and Compliance:

Knowledge of food safety regulations, labelling requirements, and compliance standards (both local and international) in the food industry.

Awareness of allergens, nutritional guidelines, and special dietary requirements for developing compliant products.

Computer Skills:

Understanding recipe development software or systems to manage, scale, and document recipes. (optional but valuable)

General office apps and project management tools

_ Please note that the annual salary is not fixed and can be adjusted for the right candidate. _

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From $55,000.00 per year

Additional pay:
Bonus pay
Benefits:
Dental care
Disability insurance
Extended health care
Life insurance
On-site parking
Vision care
Schedule:
8 hour shift
Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person