Manager, Biomass Technology

Cronos Group View all jobs

  • Stayner, ON
  • $110,000-130,000 per year
  • Permanent
  • Full-time
  • 1 month ago
DescriptionCronos is an innovative global cannabinoid company committed to building disruptive intellectual property by advancing cannabis research, technology, and product development. With a passion to responsibly elevate the consumer experience, Cronos is building an iconic brand portfolio. Cronos’ diverse international brand portfolio includes Spinach®, PEACE NATURALS® and Lord Jones®. For more information about Cronos and its brands, please visit:At Cronos Group, we hire talented people who thrive on solving difficult problems and give them the opportunity to hone new skills and approaches. If you want to play a part in shaping an innovative industry and help build a historically significant company, we want to meet you.As Manager, Biomass Technology, you will lead the development of scalable, repeatable technologies for biomass processing, infused milled flower, and pre-roll applications. You will own key workstreams across flavour delivery systems, biomass refinement, and stability/shelf-life that help enable product programs such as GRINDZ (milled/infused) and pre-roll formats (including cigarette-style pre-rolls). Working across lab and production environments, you will design, prototype, and scale solutions that improve sensory experience, consistency, and manufacturability. You will translate sensory feedback into measurable product performance targets (moisture, draw, burn, harshness proxies, appeal) and convert R&D learnings into specifications that production teams can execute consistently. You will provide technical leadership and direction to junior staff supporting these workstreams and collaborate closely with Product Development, Operations, Engineering, Quality (QA/QC), and Commercialization/Project Management to ensure effective tech transfer, robust process control, and production readiness.This position is based out of Stayner, ON.What you’ll be doing:Biomass Processing Platforms & Product Program Support
  • Own the technical delivery for biomass processing and smoking-technology initiatives supporting GRINDZ (milled/infused) and pre-roll product formats (including cigarette-style pre-rolls).
  • Develop, optimize, and standardize flavour delivery systems and infusion processes (e.g., spray/coating approaches) for milled and pre-roll biomass, including dosing strategy, homogeneity targets, process windows, cleaning/SOP requirements, and retention of key aroma/organoleptic attributes through shelf life (volatiles management, moisture control, packaging compatibility).
  • Develop biomass optimization approaches (e.g., particle size/shape control, conditioning/recon, expansion, sifting/filtration, and blend strategies) to improve yield, quality, and consistency while improving throughput and manufacturability (cycle time, changeover complexity, rework, and loss drivers) for pre-roll and milled inputs.
  • Lead development of biomass refinement technologies that improve pre-roll performance and consumer experience, including filling power, draw resistance, burn rate/ash behavior, harshness perception, and flavour delivery, while evaluating reconstituted and/or enhanced filling power inputs where feasible.
  • Lead stability and shelf-life workstreams for milled/infused products and pre-roll inputs, including packaging interactions, storage condition mapping, scalping/permeation risk, and fast-fail screening. Evaluate formulation and process levers that improve stability and sensory consistency, including humectants/stabilizers and controlled-release approaches (e.g., encapsulation).
  • Drive harshness reduction and related smoking technologies through formulation and process levers and evidence-based evaluation methods; translate findings into manufacturable specifications and controls.
Tech Transfer, Scale-up & Process Development
  • Lead tech transfer from R&D to Operations for biomass processing, infusion, and pre-roll input technologies by building integrated transfer plans that cover prototype readiness, sensory/analytical evidence, capacity and risk assessment, equipment and tooling needs, training, and validation/verification inputs.
  • Define and document CPPs, CQAs, sampling plans, and production readiness criteria for platform processes and materials.
  • Plan and run pilot and line trials; document parameters and results, analyze outcomes, implement approved changes with Operations and Quality, and support training of staff on new/updated processes as required.
  • Support capacity analyses (rates, yields, downtime drivers) and translate trial learnings into practical scale-up recommendations (labour, time, loss drivers) and implementation plans.
  • Assist Engineering with selection, installation, and qualification of process equipment and room modifications supporting infusion, blending, conditioning, and/or reconstitution approaches, as needed.
  • Troubleshoot production problems and/or product issues; provide technical support for deviations, investigations, and change controls within scope, including stability, biomass-input and conditioning driven issues..
  • Provide launch support during first production runs (hypercare), monitor key process and quality indicators, and lead continuous improvement actions that reduce cost, improve yield/throughput, and strengthen product consistency over time.
  • Serve as the Chemistry & Technology workstream lead on cross-functional project teams: capture and drive closure of technical action items, provide timelines, and risk/decision updates, and recommend strategy/trade-offs required for product integrity, manufacturability, and launch readiness.
  • Serve as primary technical representative in discussions with vendors, service providers, and contract manufacturers, ensuring product development and specification interests are prioritized.
Technical Leadership, Execution & Documentation
  • Provide technical direction, prioritization, and coaching to junior staff supporting these workstreams; ensure safe execution, high-quality outputs, and strong data integrity.
  • Personally execute and/or directly support experimental work, characterization runs (PSD, moisture/water activity, bulk density/flow proxies), and production trial sampling as required.
  • Build study protocols, timelines, and concise readouts; maintain decision logs and communicate recommendations to stakeholders.
  • Create and maintain platform documentation (SOPs, work instructions, batch/training record inputs, and change-control documentation) to enable repeatable execution and audit-ready traceability.
  • Use required enterprise systems as applicable (QMS/document control, deviations/change control, ERP routings/BOMs, and lab/manufacturing systems) to ensure traceability, accuracy, and inspection readiness.
  • Coordinate lab activities related to equipment maintenance/calibration, inventory readiness, purchasing support, and safety.
You’ll need to have
  • Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline; advanced degree is an asset.
  • 7+ years of relevant experience in product development and applied R&D within consumer goods manufacturing (cannabis, tobacco/nicotine, flavour/fragrance, food, pharma, or similarly regulated environments).
Highly desired:
  • Experience with cannabis biomass processing and/or pre-roll manufacturing is highly preferred; understanding of cannabis materials and variability is a strong asset.
  • Demonstrated history of taking technologies from bench prototype through pilot trials to commercial production (multiple cycles preferred), including clear technical communication, cross-functional alignment, and delivery of production-ready specs, SOPs, and training inputs.
  • Strong understanding of inhalable product performance drivers and how to influence them through formulation and process levers (harshness reduction, sensory balance, moisture management, burn/draw behavior, storage effects), translating consumer/sensory feedback into measurable specifications.
  • Experience designing and executing stability and packaging interaction studies is a strong asset; alternatively, demonstrated ability to quickly build fit-for-purpose stability strategies and translate outcomes into practical specifications and controls.
  • Hands-on familiarity with biomass preparation and refinement (milling/particle size, blending/homogeneity, conditioning/recon, sifting/filtration, densification/filling power concepts) or closely analogous particulate solids processing.
  • Experience with evidence-based product evaluation methods: structured sensory screening, fit-for-purpose analytical testing (moisture/water activity, PSD, bulk density/flow), and correlation of lab metrics to product experience.
  • Working knowledge of GMP principles and strong documentation practices (SOPs, batch/training records, change control inputs).
  • Demonstrated ability to lead through influence: aligning Product Development, Operations, QA/QC, and Engineering around decisions, trade-offs, and timelines.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel/PowerPoint/Word); familiarity with ERP and QMS/document control systems is an asset.
Salary range: $110,000 - $130,000 (Stayner, Ontario*) per yearThe actual compensation offered will be based on factors such as the candidate’s experience, skills, qualifications, geographic location, applicable market data, internal equity, and business needs, and may vary within the stated range. This role may be eligible for bonus, incentive compensation, or other variable pay in accordance with applicable company plans.Cronos does not use artificial intelligence or automated decision-making tools in the screening or selection of applicants.We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, and we welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities and people with diverse backgrounds, identities, and cultures. For candidates with disabilities, accommodations are available upon request in all phases of the selection process.

Cronos Group