Senior Director, In-house Research & Intelligence

SAMYANG AMERICA INC•Brea, CA

6h•$150,000 - $200,000

About The Position

Samyang America is building a next-generation Strategy & Growth Engine that integrates strategy, innovation, intelligence, and data into a unified system for growth. A critical pillar of this transformation is the creation of an internal Consumer Research & Experience Intelligence capability — combining modern research methodologies, AI-enabled insight generation, first-party consumer data systems, and direct consumer engagement to accelerate learning, reduce dependency on external agencies, and build a deeply consumer-centric organization. The Senior Director, In-house Research & Intelligence will lead the development of Samyang America’s internal consumer research ecosystem and insight activation capability. This role is responsible for building a modern, agile, and AI-enabled in-house research function that combines quantitative and qualitative research, AI-assisted research and synthetic consumer tools, central location testing (CLT), product and sensory testing, consumer communities and influencer panels, first-party consumer data systems, and agile experimentation and rapid feedback loops. The role will operate as both a research center of excellence and internal strategic consultancy, enabling faster, more cost-efficient, and more actionable consumer learning across innovation, brand, marketing, R&D, and strategy teams. This leader will also play a key role in building a culture of consumer closeness across the organization by embedding direct consumer interaction, behavioral understanding, and rapid learning into everyday business decisions.

Requirements

15+ years of experience in: Consumer insights, Market research, Consumer science, Experience research, Innovation insights
Deep expertise across both: Quantitative research, Qualitative research
Experience building or transforming consumer insight capabilities.
Strong understanding of modern agile and digital research methodologies.
Experience leading cross-functional insight programs that influence strategy and innovation decisions.

Nice To Haves

Experience with: AI-enabled research platforms, Synthetic consumer testing, DIY survey platforms, Consumer community management, Behavioral and social analytics
Experience in: Consumer packaged goods, Food & beverage, Consumer technology , Innovation organizations
Familiarity with sensory or product testing methodologies.
Experience managing research operations and external agencies.

Responsibilities

Establish and lead Samyang’s in-house consumer research and experience intelligence capability.
Design scalable research systems that reduce dependency on traditional external research agencies.
Build agile, high-frequency research capabilities that support rapid business decision-making.
Lead development and execution of: Quantitative surveys, Consumer segmentation, Usage & attitudes studies, Qualitative interviews and ethnographies, Online communities and forums, Concept and product testing, Claims and packaging research.
Modernize methodologies to increase speed, efficiency, and learning velocity.
Pioneer AI-assisted research methodologies and workflows.
Partner with Data & AI teams to: Develop AI research agents, Build synthetic consumer testing models, Automate insight synthesis, Accelerate concept screening and learning loops.
Integrate AI into insight generation while maintaining strong human-centered rigor.
Build and manage internal capabilities for: Central location testing (CLT), Product and sensory testing, Clinical and consumer validation studies, Rapid in-market experimentation.
Establish scalable systems for ongoing product feedback and optimization.
Develop and grow Samyang’s first-party consumer ecosystem including: Consumer panels, Influencer and creator communities, Brand enthusiast group, Digital feedback and engagement platforms.
Build a proprietary first-party consumer data library that becomes a long-term strategic asset for the company.
Create systems and programs that increase direct consumer engagement across the organization.
Partner with Strategy, Innovation, R&D, and Marketing leaders to embed consumer understanding into everyday decision-making.
Champion a culture of curiosity, experimentation, and continuous consumer learning.
Manage relationships with: DIY research platforms, Consumer panel providers, AI insight technology partners, External research and testing vendors.
Evaluate and integrate emerging research technologies and platforms.