Platform Developer

Opportunity Overview

At Canadian Food Innovation Network, we are committed to being the best, starting with finding the best people. We have built a team of extraordinary people across Canada; we are problem solvers, risk takers, innovators, and thought leaders who take our work building Canada's fastest-growing food innovation community seriously but have fun doing it. We challenge ourselves to get smarter and sharper every day; we value personal and professional growth and reward and celebrate our successes.

The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is seeking a talented contract Platform Developer to lead the technical development of our new YODL website. This individual will play a pivotal role in designing, building, and enhancing YODL applications, web services, and back-end systems that power our dynamic food innovation community. We are looking for a business-savvy professional with hands-on experience in the DISCOURSE web community platform and a comprehensive understanding of application development across the full stack.

Reporting to the Director of Technology, the Platform Developer will be instrumental in shaping the future of the YODL digital ecosystem for Canada's food innovation sector. The successful candidate will join a high-performing, innovative team dedicated to advancing Canada's food business community.

About the Canadian Food Innovation Network

The Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is the most dynamic, national, member-based organization dedicated to advancing Canada's food business ecosystem. We're focused on becoming the ultimate solution centre for Canada's food industry—fostering collaboration, innovation, and growth for companies of all sizes.

Joining CFIN means becoming part of a high-performing team that connects industry leaders, researchers, and innovators to solve pressing challenges, drive transformative ideas, and create sustainable solutions that enhance competitiveness and productivity in the food sector.

What Makes CFIN Stand Out?

• Collaborative Ecosystem: We excel at building partnerships that unite diverse collaborators to transform innovative ideas into impactful solutions.
• Focus on Impact: CFIN champions commercialization projects that push the boundaries of food science, technology, and sustainability, delivering real solutions to the food industry's toughest challenges.
• Industry-Led Initiatives: Guided by input from our members, Innovation Advisory Council, and Board of Directors, we design funding programs, tools, workshops, and resources that empower innovators to break through barriers.

What you'll be doing:

Collaboration and Requirement Gathering

• Work closely with internal team members and business stakeholders to collect detailed requirements. Translate these business needs into effective technical solutions using Power Platform tools, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.

Application Development and Deployment

• Design, develop, test, and deploy advanced solutions with a focus on Azure technologies and .NET application development. Configure and manage Azure resources—such as App Services, Logic Apps, and Azure Functions—while orchestrating jobs for data cleaning, transformation, and migration to enable seamless integration across Microsoft 365 and external data sources.
• Deliver custom development to enhance Power BI dashboards, integrate data from multiple sources, and engineer connections between the YODL website and future partner systems for secure, scalable data exchange.
• Maintain database consistency and optimize performance for both applications and underlying database infrastructure. Proactively support data extraction and reporting by implementing or scheduling jobs that facilitate efficient data retrieval and ensure databases remain reliable and capable.
• Contribute to developing AI models to enable predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and generate actionable insights, following best practices in architecture, security, and testing.

Continuous Improvement and Best Practices

• Drive continuous improvement by staying current with advancements in Power Platform, Azure, and .NET, while adhering to best practices in application design and development. Actively participate in code reviews, collaborative solution design, and agile sprints to foster knowledge sharing and maintain high standards for code quality, security, and maintainability.
• Adopt modern design principles such as modular architecture and reusable components and apply comprehensive testing methodologies to ensure reliability and strong user experiences. Encourage process optimization by documenting lessons learned, integrating stakeholder feedback, and exploring emerging technologies to deliver innovative solutions and ongoing value to the CFIN community.

YODL Website Development

• Design, develop, and modify the YODL website by creating custom applications, web services, and robust back-end solutions, ensuring seamless integration with the DISCOURSE community platform for a cohesive user experience. Customize the DISCOURSE platform extensively to meet the specific needs of the new YODL website, building bespoke features, and enabling deeper integration with CFIN's digital ecosystem.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to effectively translate business requirements into technical deliverables. Ensure that the platform supports CFIN's strategic goals and delivers an exceptional experience for members.

Application Lifecycle Management

• Oversee all stages of the application lifecycle, including initial design, coding, deployment, maintenance, and ongoing improvement. Proactively address issues and optimize performance to meet evolving business needs.

Quality Assurance and Digital Infrastructure

• Uphold best practices for code quality, documentation, and troubleshooting. Contribute actively to the continuous evolution of CFIN's digital infrastructure, supporting long-term organizational goals.

What you bring:

Education and Professional Background

• Candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field. Alternatively, a college diploma or relevant technical certificates—combined with substantial hands-on development experience in applicable technologies—will also be accepted in lieu of formal university education.

Platform and Community Management Experience

• Proven experience with the DISCOURSE platform and various community management tools.
• Strong background in web application architecture, software development, and back-end integration.

Technical Skills and Power Platform Expertise

• Minimum of three years' industry experience in technical roles focused on Microsoft technologies, including Azure, data management, and integration between systems.
• Demonstrated expertise in custom application development, advanced SharePoint solutions, and AI-related tools.
• Extensive experience with the DISCOURSE platform and proven ability to architect and implement robust back-end integrations.
• Background in process automation, workflow design, and business process mapping.
• Familiarity with relevant programming languages.

Core Competencies

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication abilities.
• Capacity to work independently and collaboratively within fast-paced, agile environments.
• Knowledge of governance, security, and compliance standards within the Power Platform ecosystem.

Performance, Security, and Collaboration

• Demonstrated ability to balance technical excellence with business objectives, consistently delivering solutions that are secure, scalable, and focused on the end user.
• In-depth knowledge of application performance optimization, security protocols, and troubleshooting methodologies.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work closely with technical leaders and business stakeholders.

Location and Availability

This is a remote role, and the applicants must be based in Canada and be available to collaborate with the CFIN team and stakeholders nationwide.

To achieve a strong national membership base, CFIN must embrace diversity in all its forms (personal, geographical, sectoral, etc.), must deliver services equitably in both official languages, and must have a value proposition ("unique selling proposition") that resonates with all the players in the food innovation ecosystem.

Accessibility & Accommodation

Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is committed to creating an inclusive, accessible workplace that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. CFIN provides equal employment opportunities and is dedicated to ensuring compliance with applicable accessibility and human rights legislation across Canada.

Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the recruitment, selection, and assessment process. If you require accommodation, please contact -, and we will work with you to support your participation.

Apply today and let's transform the future of food—together

Note: We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12-15 months

Pay: From $100,000.00 per year

Work Location: Remote