Principal Sensory Scientist

Principal Sensory Scientist

Location:

Buffalo, NY, US, 14213

Rich Products is looking for a Principal Sensory Scientist to join our Research, Innovation, and Compliance (RIC) organization. This role is a subject matter expert (SME) within Sensory and Consumer Science that will drive consumer centricity throughout cross‑functional and cross‑regional innovation and renovation processes to help deliver Rich’s business goals and growth ambition.

This role will be based at our WHQ in Buffalo, NY, with expected travel of up to 25% per year.

• Serve as a trusted advisor and recognized consumer and sensory expert to lead complex, strategic projects in a US and global context that have broad-based implications across R&D, business and categories.
• Utilize mastery of foundational and advanced design of experiment techniques and their application to scale Innovation and Renovation impact, efficiency & agility. Employ advanced market research approaches as decision tools to enhance innovation / renovation products that are differentiated in the marketplace.
• Design Consumer Research Framework for Core, Adjacent and Transformational innovation opportunities and execute consumer and sensory research that closes the knowledge gap of our innovation opportunities, challenges, markets, consumers, products, and processes.
• Build and enhance functional capabilities and ensure cross‑functional execution of global consumer centric sensory programs. Lead the implementation of these programs across all research and development & manufacturing sites, locally and globally.
• Ensure mastery and full utilization of internal sensory discrimination panels. Support development of descriptive analysis panels and advance validation procedures. Develop panel performance KPI’s to ensure the highest level of integrity and results are obtained through their use.
• Frequently mentor associates within sensory and R&D teams (i.e. international, joint ventures) and conduct training to develop and enhance their technical knowledge and expertise.
• Drive cross‑functional collaboration with RIC CoEs, Marketing, Insights, Finance and Supply Chain to ensure technical feasibility and market relevance for consumer platforms. Leverage financial acumen to ensure cost‑effectiveness is built into product design and ROCS.
• Create and recommend Sensory IP strategy and roadmap for data to develop LLM / AI modeling capabilities.
• Represent the company with outside vendors, suppliers, universities, associations and governmental agencies. Maintain confidentiality of proprietary information.
• Perform related responsibilities, as needed, to support Rich Products Corporation's business objectives.

• University graduate with a degree in food science, sensory evaluation, sensory science, psychology, consumer science, marketing research, nutrition or statistics required.
• Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of industrial/applied research experience.
• Master’s degree with 8+ years of industrial/applied research experience.
• Ph.D. with 7+ years of industrial/applied research experience.
• Ability to drive organizational change and foster a culture of innovation.
• Strong track record of innovation within consumer‑packaged goods and food service within the food industry.
• Subject matter expert in consumer, sensory, and market research techniques applied across the organization— from early ideation to post‑launch assessment, in business and R&D contexts. Expertise includes:
  • Discrimination testing
  • Descriptive analysis (including temporal methods)
  • Consumer methods (qualitative and quantitative)
  • Methods development & design thinking
  • Statistics (Univariate, Multivariate, etc.)
  • Design of Experiments
  • Panel recruitment and maintenance
  • Panelists validation, training and motivation
  • External agency management
  • Application of sensory techniques in quality, QA and compliance
• Senior‑level sensory leadership within R&D innovation teams.
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities.
• Experience working with global and remote teams.
• Strong business results orientation with a focus on measurable…