Principal Scientist, R&D – Consumer Packaging Research SME

Position: Principal Scientist, R&D – Consumer Experience Packaging Research SME
Location: Golf

Job Description Job Purpose  ​​The Principal Scientist for CX Product Insights is the technical authority and methodologist for consumer experience research across an assigned portfolio within Product Insights. You architect fit-for-purpose CX learning strategies across the end-to-end product lifecycle, from front-end exploration and ideation through launch readiness, ensuring methodological rigor, evidence quality, and decision-ready synthesis that accelerates innovation and renovation. You translate consumer needs into clear product and packaging experience requirements, influence cross-functional teams toward consumer-centric decisions, and balance speed vs.

rigor based on decision risk. You elevate functional capability through coaching, playbooks/toolkits, and ways of working, and guide internal teams and suppliers to the right level of rigor for the decision ’ll partner closely with R&D (Product & Process Development, Packaging, Sensory), Marketing/Brand, Insights, Analytics, Culinary, and external suppliers to ensure consumer learning is converted into practical product, packaging, and technical decisions.

​  Essential Functions & Responsibilities  ​​Provide CX technical leadership for the assigned portfolio/platforms, defining key information needs tied to business and technical decisions at each development milestone. ​Serve as subject matter expert (SME) for packaging design consumer research, providing specialized methodological expertise.  ​Architect end-to-end CX learning plans (qualitative + quantitative) from upstream exploration to downstream validation, with clear decision framing, success criteria, and evidence standards.

​Serve as portfolio CX methodologist/SME—selecting, applying, and advising on appropriate methods across learning phases, aligning rigor to risk and timeline. ​Translate consumer learning into clear experience requirements that guide product and packaging development, including managing design tradeoffs and aligning on what success looks like. ​Lead high-stakes stakeholder readouts, synthesizing findings, tailoring storyline and technical depth for executive vs. technical audiences;

ensure implications are clear, succinct, and actionable. ​Serve as technical consultant to the CX team on study designs, analysis plans, and interpretation for high-stakes readouts and gate/milestone decisions ​Evaluate, pilot, and standardize emerging CX methods and analytics (including vendor capabilities), documenting best practices, limitations, and evidence thresholds before scaling. ​Coach and upskill scientists and partners through training, playbooks/toolkits, best practices, and consultative support, including shaping ways of working that embed CX rigor across the function.

​Audit vendor strategy and performance for the portfolio—capability matching, scoping, quality expectations, data integrity checks, performance management, and deliverable acceptance criteria. ​Lead multiple simultaneous work streams with strong prioritization, operating discipline, documentation, and stakeholder communication in a fast-paced environment. ​Provide continuity/backup coverage for the  CX leadership  team as needed. ​Ensure compliance with data integrity, privacy, and internal research governance requirements.​ Expected Experience & Required Skills ​​Bachelor’s degree minimum (Consumer Behavior/Psychology, Marketing Research, Engineering, Food Science, Human Factors, Industrial Design, or related STEM field), with an advanced degree preferred  ​Minimum of 6+ years (BS), 5+ years (MS) or 4+ years (PhD) in consumer/product research, consumer experience, or applied insights supporting product development and commercialization—CPG or food & beverage strongly preferred—with…