Tastepoint is fueled by passion and enhanced by the technology and insights of IFF. Our purpose is to be the spark that advances our customers. We're an agile, energetic product development partner with a fresh perspective. Tastepoint captures the essence of our customers' ideas, and the imagination of their consumers. Together, we'll create a fresh take on taste. We solve customer challenges and craft consumer delight.

It's an exciting time to be part of IFF, we are looking for our next Sensory & Consumer Insights Researcher to become part of our industry-leading team in Philadelphia, PA.

The individual in this role will be responsible for ensuring that activities and projects are aligned with business opportunities and corporate strategies. The person in this role provides valid and reliable information to customers and internal Tastepoint stakeholders (flavorists and applications food technologists) relating to sensory evaluation and consumer insights. This department is responsible for supporting product development projects through difference testing, descriptive profiling, and consumer research.

Responsibilities include conducting and overseeing sensory panels to support key project opportunities, collecting test data in a computerized format for statistical analysis, interpreting and communicating test results from difference, consumer and descriptive evaluations, and maintaining updated records of sensory testing. Responsibilities also include networking within IFF to leverage learnings, strengthen skills and continuously improve our capabilities.

This position is accountable for ensuring standards of quality that meet or exceed customer expectations by adhering to strict testing protocols that have been validated for accuracy & reliability. This role ensures compliance with Tastepoint by IFF safety and security policies and manage relationships with other Sensory Scientists within company and amongst customers. Some travel is anticipated in this role (10-20%).

Typical Duties Include

• Partner and collaborate within matrixed organization with cross functional teams by seeking input from others and leveraging communication and influencing skills to provide a thoughtful and holistic perspective as well as provide sensory/consumer guidance to support the goals of various projects.
• Design and conduct studies using descriptive analysis, discrimination testing and consumer testing to meet specific project objectives.
• Apply Scientific Method to provide solutions.
• Analyze all technical aspects of projects and recommend methods and techniques to be used and principles to be applied.
• Write experimental reports.
• Perform analysis and interpret test results; form conclusions on experiments conducted and present findings.
• Prepare and present presentations to customers and internal stakeholders and provide recommendations.
• Work with the sensory staff to improve research skills and to increase understanding of techniques and procedures utilized.
• Remain current within industry to advance practices and procedures.
• Adhere to all safety and quality requirements; enhance site safety.

• Master's degree or bachelor's degree (Biological, Chemical, Food Science, Sensory Science, or analytical/statistical field), plus 5-7 years in Sensory with proven track record and strong applied statistics knowledge and experience.
• Ability to decipher and apply market data, trends, social listening, and external insights to action sensory and consumer product testing approaches.
• Advanced knowledge/expertise of Sensory and Consumer Research (Discriminative, Hedonic, Descriptive and Affective methods) as well as Consumer testing (CLT, HUT) and analysis techniques.
• Experience in sensory analysis of food materials and applied statistics is essential; experience in, analytical chemistry, method development and product development are a plus.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• High expertise level in related data analysis and ease with statistical programs such as XLSTAT data science tools and methods required.
• Excellent communication skills: Presents information/ideas to individuals or groups in an articulate, straightforward, and organized way.
• Conceptual capacity/flexibility - Quickly grasps different concepts.
• Curious, knowledgeable, and creative mindset and is seen as someone who applies knowledge creatively and intelligently to the solution of problems.