I actually want to raise the bar even further.
This isn't an Indeed posting.
This is your first executive hire in what you're calling the Farm Girl Innovation Operating System.
Director of Scientific Innovation Build the Future of Breakfast
Location: Mississauga, Ontario (Hybrid)
Compensation: $160,000 to $200,000 CAD + Performance Bonus + Long-Term Incentive / Equity Participation
About Farm Girl Foods
Farm Girl Foods is redefining what breakfast cereal can be.
We believe consumers should never have to choose between exceptional taste and exceptional nutrition. Our mission is to build cereals that compete directly with the world's largest brands on eating experience while delivering cleaner ingredients and superior nutrition.
We're not building another cereal company.
We're building one of the most advanced cereal innovation organizations in North America.
Over the next three years, we will invest heavily in scientific research, product development, sensory science, manufacturing excellence, data-driven experimentation, and knowledge systems that create lasting competitive advantage.
This role will help build that organization from the ground up.
The Opportunity
This is not a traditional food scientist position.
You will work directly with our Founder & Chief Innovation Officer to build an innovation system that combines:
- Food science
- Extrusion engineering
- Sensory science
- Flavor chemistry
- Consumer research
- Statistics
- Experimental design
- Competitive intelligence
- Artificial intelligence
- Knowledge management
Every experiment should increase both product performance and scientific understanding.
Our goal is to create an R&D capability that becomes one of Farm Girl's most valuable assets.
Why This Role Is Different
Most R&D roles focus on developing products.
This role focuses on building the scientific capability that develops products.
You'll help create the systems, standards, databases, and scientific processes that define how innovation happens at Farm Girl for years to come.
You'll play a key role in shaping an organization built for long-term value creation and strategic growth.
What You'll Build
During your first three years you will help create:
- A best-in-class cereal innovation program.
- A structured R&D knowledge management system.
- A standardized experimental database.
- A sensory science platform.
- A competitor intelligence program.
- An ingredient intelligence database.
- Predictive product development tools.
- Novel cereal technologies and intellectual property.
- New product platforms ready for commercial scale.
Responsibilities
Lead scientific strategy for product development and innovation.
Design statistically rigorous experiments using Design of Experiments (DOE), Response Surface Methodology, and multivariable analysis.
Develop and commercialize cereal formulations from concept through production.
Lead extrusion development, ingredient optimization, texture engineering, and flavor development.
Develop scientific understanding of ingredient functionality and processing interactions.
Create standardized R&D procedures and documentation.
Build structured scientific databases that capture every formulation, experiment, observation, and conclusion.
Develop sensory evaluation methodologies and consumer testing programs.
Analyze historical and current experimental data to identify patterns and generate predictive insights.
Monitor emerging scientific literature, patents, ingredients, technologies, and competitors.
Collaborate closely with manufacturing to improve scalability, process robustness, and product consistency.
Help identify and document intellectual property opportunities.
Mentor future scientists as the R&D organization grows.
Represent Farm Girl during scientific collaborations, partnerships, and technical due diligence.
What Success Looks Like
Within your first year you will have:
- Organized years of historical R&D into a structured scientific database.
- Established standardized experimentation protocols.
- Improved product development efficiency through better experimental design.
- Helped launch new cereal innovations.
- Built the foundation for Farm Girl's long-term innovation platform.
Within three years you will have helped establish Farm Girl as a recognized leader in cereal innovation and scientific product development.
Qualifications Required
PhD or MSc in Food Science, Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Cereal Science, or a closely related discipline.
5+ years of industrial R&D experience.
Experience developing extruded food products.
Strong understanding of:
- Extrusion processing
- Starch chemistry
- Protein functionality
- Flavor chemistry
- Texture science
- Ingredient functionality
- Experimental design
- Statistical analysis
- Scientific writing
Experience leading technical projects.
Excellent communication skills.
Preferred
Experience with:
- Breakfast cereals
- Snack foods
- Expanded products
- Alternative proteins
- Consumer sensory science
- Python, R, SQL, JMP, or Minitab
- Patent evaluation
- AI-assisted scientific research
Experience at companies such as:
- General Mills
- WK Kellogg
- PepsiCo
- Nestlé
- Post Consumer Brands
- Givaudan
- Kerry
- IFF
The Scientist We're Looking For
You are deeply curious.
You challenge assumptions with evidence.
You think in systems rather than isolated experiments.
You enjoy reading scientific literature.
You ask thoughtful questions before proposing solutions.
You value documentation as much as discovery.
You understand that failed experiments are opportunities to improve future decisions.
You enjoy mentoring others and building scientific capability.
You want to leave behind a body of work that changes how a company innovates.
Our Scientific Philosophy
At Farm Girl, every experiment must do one of two things:
- Improve the product.
- Improve our understanding.
The best experiments accomplish both.
We believe knowledge compounds.
Every formulation, sensory panel, extrusion trial, consumer study, and scientific insight becomes part of a permanent knowledge system that makes future innovation faster and more predictable.
Why Join Farm Girl?
This role offers a rare opportunity to build an innovation organization rather than simply join one.
You'll work alongside leadership, influence company strategy, and help shape products that reach consumers across North America.
You'll have the freedom to challenge assumptions, develop new ideas, and create lasting scientific assets.
If you're excited by difficult technical problems, collaborative thinking, and building something meaningful from the ground up, we'd love to hear from you.
Pay: $79,051.88-$187,412.09 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
