Principal Scientist, R&D – CX Product Insights, Away From Home
About The Position
The Principal Scientist for CX Product Insights serves as the technical authority and methodologist for consumer experience research supporting Away From Home initiatives. The role designs fit-for-purpose consumer experience learning strategies across the product lifecycle, from early exploration and ideation through launch readiness, ensuring methodological rigor, high-quality evidence, and decision-ready synthesis. It translates consumer needs into product and packaging experience requirements, influences cross-functional decisions, and balances speed and rigor according to decision risk. The Principal Scientist partners with R&D teams, including Product & Process Development, Packaging, and Sensory, as well as Marketing/Brand, Insights, Analytics, Culinary, and external suppliers. The role also builds functional capability through coaching, playbooks, toolkits, training, and standardized ways of working; guides internal teams and vendors on appropriate research rigor; and provides continuity and backup coverage for the CX leadership team as needed. The position is based at the Glenview R&D Center. Employees may work virtually up to two days each week and are expected to work in person at the assigned work location at least three days per work week. Travel may be required up to 20% of the time.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Consumer Behavior, Psychology, Marketing Research, Engineering, Food Science, Human Factors, Industrial Design, or a related STEM field.
- Minimum experience in consumer/product research, consumer experience, or applied insights supporting innovation, product development, and commercialization: 8+ years with a bachelor’s degree, 7+ years with a master’s degree, or 6+ years with a Ph.D.
- Experience in consumer research supporting Away From Home product R&D initiatives.
- Expertise in qualitative and quantitative CX research methods, including end-to-end study design, instrument development, analysis planning, synthesis, and storytelling; ability to select methods based on decision risk and learning objectives.
- Ability to influence product and packaging innovation or renovation decisions by translating consumer needs into clear experience requirements and decision criteria.
- Direct experience in consumer research methodology focused on packaging technical design.
- Ability to scope research, critically review study quality, and quality-assure vendor methods, analyses, and interpretations.
- Clear, succinct communication across audiences, including leadership-level implications, tradeoffs, and uncertainty or limitations.
- Demonstrated capability in coaching, technical training, and establishing best practices or standards in a matrixed organization.
- Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management, sound escalation judgment, and ability to correct misinterpretations of evidence.
- Ability to prioritize and execute independently across a complex portfolio with multiple concurrent projects.
- Working proficiency in quantitative and statistical interpretation used in CX and product testing, and comfort using and overseeing common research platforms and analysis tools such as survey/testing platforms, analysis packages, and dashboards or BI tools.
- Ability to travel up to 20% of the time.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced degree preferred.
- CPG or food and beverage experience strongly preferred, with demonstrated progression in technical expertise, independent research strategy development, methodological leadership, and influence on cross-functional product and packaging innovation decisions.
Responsibilities
- Provide CX technical leadership for the Away From Home team and define learning needs tied to business and technical decisions at each development milestone.
- Serve as a subject matter expert in consumer research for product and packaging design, applying qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Architect end-to-end CX learning plans from upstream exploration through downstream validation, with decision framing, success criteria, and evidence standards appropriate to risk and timelines.
- Translate consumer experience insights into actionable product and packaging experience requirements, manage tradeoffs, and define success criteria.
- Lead stakeholder readouts and present decision-focused narratives tailored to executive and technical audiences.
- Advise on Away From Home product and packaging methods and research designs suited to learning objectives, operators, and venue types.
- Evaluate, pilot, and standardize emerging CX methods and analytics, including vendor capabilities, and document best practices, limitations, and evidence thresholds.
- Coach and develop scientists and partners through playbooks, training, and consultative support.
- Oversee vendor strategy and performance, including capability alignment, quality assurance, data integrity, and delivery expectations.
- Prioritize and manage multiple concurrent workstreams, maintaining documentation and stakeholder communication.
- Provide continuity and backup coverage for the CX leadership team as needed.
- Ensure compliance with data integrity, privacy, and internal research governance requirements.
Benefits
- Performance-based bonus, subject to plan terms and governing documents.
- Healthcare coverage for employees and eligible dependents, with plans tailored to employee and family needs.
- Medical and prescription drug coverage.
- Dental insurance.
- Vision insurance.
- Screenings and assessments.
- Paid time off and company holidays.
- Leave of absence.
- Flexible work arrangements.
- Recognition programs.
- Training and learning opportunities.
- Employee Assistance Program.
- Wellbeing programs and resources.
- Family support programs.
- 401(k).
- Life insurance.
- Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
- Disability coverage.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
