Sensory Panel Leader, Product Experience Researcher I

IFF • South Brunswick, NJ

1d • $69,118 - $98,740 • Onsite

About The Position

IFF is hiring a Sensory Panel Leader, Product Experience Researcher I, for its onsite South Brunswick, New Jersey location. The role develops, maintains, and leads sensory panels that produce reliable, actionable descriptive data. It combines sensory science, panel leadership, training, data quality, and operational coordination to ensure evaluations follow established methodologies and quality standards.

Working with Product Experience Researchers and cross-functional partners, the role translates project objectives into effective sensory evaluations that support product design, formulation, optimization, and development. The position also contributes to sensory data analysis, database maintenance, documentation, sample traceability, and continuous improvement of laboratory processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Sensory Science, Food Science, Psychology, Consumer Science, Statistics, or a related scientific discipline, or equivalent relevant sensory experience.
• Hands-on experience working with trained descriptive sensory panels.
• Demonstrated understanding of sensory evaluation principles, descriptive methods, discrimination testing, and sensory scale usage.
• Experience training, coaching, or facilitating individuals and groups.
• Ability to recognize panel-performance gaps and develop appropriate training or calibration activities.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to evaluate data quality, consistency, and reliability.
• Strong planning, organizational, and project-management skills, with careful attention to detail.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to provide constructive feedback and facilitate group discussions.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with scientists, product developers, technicians, and other cross-functional partners while handling confidential information with professional judgment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with temporal or advanced descriptive sensory methodologies.
• Experience analyzing sensory data using statistical, visualization, or sensory science software.
• Experience managing sensory databases, panel-performance records, or sensory laboratory processes.

Responsibilities

• Recruit, screen, train, and onboard sensory panelists using established selection and performance criteria.
• Develop panelists’ ability to identify, describe, discriminate, and quantify sensory characteristics using established sensory language, scales, and references.
• Lead ongoing panel training, calibration, coaching, and consensus-building to maintain panel alignment, engagement, and capability.
• Partner with Product Experience Researchers to select appropriate sensory methodologies and plan descriptive and discrimination testing based on project objectives.
• Facilitate product familiarization, attribute generation, and panel discussions while encouraging active participation, professional judgment, and constructive communication.
• Coordinate testing schedules, panel availability, and sample requirements with researchers, Creative and Design teams, technicians, and other project partners.
• Monitor individual panelist and overall panel performance, including discrimination, repeatability, agreement, and appropriate scale usage.
• Review sensory data for completeness, consistency, and quality, and identify when additional training or recalibration is needed.
• Support routine sensory data analysis, sensory database maintenance, documentation, sample traceability, and continuous improvement of laboratory processes.

Benefits

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan.
• Parental leave of up to 16 weeks.
• Paid time off and company holidays.
• Learning and professional development opportunities.
• An inclusive, collaborative environment where sensory science directly supports product innovation and consumer experiences.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level