Sr Research Scientist Sensory Innovation

Sr Research Scientist Sensory Innovation

At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey's enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom.

Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day.

The Hershey Company is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands. With a strong portfolio across chocolate, confectionery, and salty snacks, Hershey delights consumers every day. Our beloved brands include Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat®, Dots Pretzels, Lesser Evil, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, and more. At Hershey, we are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities where we live, work, and do business.

This commitment originated with our founder, Milton Hershey, and continues to shape who we are today. Guided by our employee value proposition,
** Lead Today. Create Tomorrow,
** we empower our people to drive impact now while shaping what comes next. Our One Hershey mindset brings teams together across functions, geographies, and businesses, enabling us to operate with speed, collaboration, and shared purpose. The Hershey Company is proud to be recognized as a top employer in the United States, reflecting our commitment to our people, culture, and purpose.

Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Sensory Innovation and based at The Hershey Company Technical Center, this role leads multiple medium-complexity sensory and consumer research initiatives and supports more complex projects. The position requires expertise in sensory science, consumer research, statistics, and data visualization, with the ability to translate research findings into actionable business recommendations. Success in this role requires strong problem-solving, critical thinking, stakeholder influence, and effective communication across technical and non-technical audiences.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the sensory research lead for assigned brands.
• Design, execute, analyze, and communicate sensory and consumer research studies independently and collaboratively.
• Lead sensory research supporting innovation, product improvements, and margin enhancement initiatives.
• Apply analytical sensory methods alongside consumer testing to meet project objectives.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of new sensory and consumer research capabilities.

Key Partnerships:

• Product Development
• Commercial & Innovation
• Marketing
• Consumer Insights
• Quality & Regulatory Compliance
• Technology Development
• External Research Suppliers

Travel:
Up to 10% travel, primarily within the United States.

Minimum Education & Requirements:

• MS in Food Science, Psychology, Statistics, or a related field with an emphasis in Sensory and Consumer Research and 2–4 years of relevant experience; or BS with 4–6 years of relevant experience.
• A degree or certification in Market Research is a plus.

At Hershey, we offer competitive pay and a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and life outside of work.