Electrical engineering Jobs in Smiths Falls, ON

The Opportunity

The Product Developer, Cannabis Innovations is responsible for developing and commercializing innovative cannabis products across key growth categories, including vapes, extracts, infused pre-rolls (IPRs), and edibles. This role is the bridge between innovation strategy and product execution, transforming consumer-led opportunities into commercially viable products that deliver meaningful consumer benefits and drive portfolio growth.

Working closely with the Head of Innovation & New Product Development, Innovation Manager, Strategic Insights, and Brand & Portfolio Strategy teams, the Product Developer brings concepts to life through prototype development, product testing, formulation refinement, and commercialization support. The role combines hands-on product development with cross-functional collaboration, ensuring products are feasible, differentiated, and launch-ready.

The ideal candidate is equally comfortable working in a lab, kitchen, or development environment as they are working with manufacturing partners, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to deliver successful product launches.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & Prototyping

• Develop and refine new cannabis products across vape, extract, infused pre-roll, and edible categories.

• Translate innovation briefs into product concepts, prototypes, and development plans.

• Conduct bench-scale product development and formulation activities to evaluate product concepts and consumer experiences.

• Design, prepare, and evaluate prototypes for internal reviews, consumer testing, and commercialization decisions.

• Optimize formulations, ingredient combinations, terpene profiles, infusion systems, and product attributes to improve product performance and consumer appeal.

• Assess emerging ingredients, cannabinoids, technologies, hardware, and delivery systems to support future innovation opportunities.

Product Testing & Validation

• Design and execute product evaluation plans to assess quality, performance, consistency, and overall consumer experience.

• Conduct sensory evaluations and product performance assessments.

• Coordinate stability testing, validation activities, and product trials.

• Analyze results and recommend product improvements or adjustments.

• Support consumer testing initiatives and integrate learning into product refinement activities.

Commercialization Support

• Partner with Manufacturing, Operations, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, and Supply Chain teams to transition products from development into commercial production.

• Develop product specifications, manufacturing instructions, and technical documentation.

• Support scale-up activities and identify solutions to technical or operational challenges.

• Ensure products meet quality, regulatory, and commercial requirements prior to launch.

• Participate in launch readiness activities and post-launch performance reviews.

Innovation Execution

• Support execution of the innovation pipeline by developing products that address identified consumer needs and business opportunities.

• Partner closely with Strategic Insights to understand consumer trends, emerging needs, category dynamics, and competitive activity.

• Collaborate with Brand & Portfolio Strategy to ensure new products support brand objectives and portfolio priorities.

• Contribute technical expertise during concept evaluation, feasibility assessments, and innovation reviews.

• Stay informed on innovation trends within cannabis and adjacent consumer product categories.

Supplier & Technology Collaboration

• Work with ingredient suppliers, hardware providers, manufacturing partners, and other external vendors to support product development activities.

• Evaluate new technologies, ingredients, and product solutions.

• Coordinate sample procurement, technical evaluations, and product trials.

• Support identification of opportunities to improve quality, performance, efficiency, and consumer experience.

Stage-Gate Contributions

• Provide development, testing, formulation, and commercialization inputs to support Stage-Gate decision-making.

• Prepare technical recommendations, product assessments, and supporting documentation for gate reviews.

• Ensure assigned projects meet development milestones and required deliverables.

• Collaborate with Innovation, PMO, and cross-functional teams to support timely movement of projects through the innovation process.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Build strong partnerships across Innovation, Strategic Insights, Brand & Portfolio Strategy, Product Development, Quality, Regulatory Affairs, Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, Marketing, and Commercial teams.

• Communicate technical findings and product recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Support a collaborative, consumer-centric approach to innovation and product development.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Chemistry, Biology, Product Development, Engineering, Cannabis Science, or a related field.

• Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

• 3-7 years of experience in product development, formulation, commercialization, or innovation roles.

• Experience developing products within cannabis, food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, wellness, nutraceutical, or similarly regulated industries.

• Hands-on experience with formulation development, prototype creation, and product testing.

• Experience working across multiple product categories and managing several development projects simultaneously.

• Familiarity with innovation and Stage-Gate processes is considered an asset.

Key Competencies

• Product Development Expertise

• Strong formulation and prototyping capabilities.

• Ability to balance consumer appeal, technical feasibility, quality, and manufacturability.

• Consumer-Centric Mindset

• Passion for understanding and improving the consumer experience.

• Ability to connect product features and benefits to underlying consumer needs.

• Technical Curiosity

• Interest in emerging cannabinoids, terpenes, ingredients, hardware technologies, and novel consumption formats.

• Continuously seeks opportunities to improve products and experiences.

• Execution Excellence

• Demonstrated ability to move projects from concept through commercialization.

• Strong attention to detail and follow-through.

• Collaboration & Communication

• Effective cross-functional partner capable of building strong internal and external relationships.

• Comfortable communicating technical concepts to a broad range of stakeholders.

• Problem Solving

• Practical and resourceful approach to technical and commercialization challenges.

• Ability to navigate ambiguity and identify solutions quickly.