Sensory Scientist

Aspen Enterprises LTD•North Kingstown, RI

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Finlays Solutions is a leading partner to the B2B beverage manufacturing industry, recognized for its deep expertise, strong industry relationships, and commitment to innovation. The company plays a central role in supporting beverage brands, flavor houses, private label partners, and manufacturers through high‑quality products, technical capabilities, and collaborative problem‑solving. With a strong presence in the ready‑to‑drink beverage market, Finlays Solutions focuses on identifying emerging opportunities, expanding into new market spaces, and delivering solutions that meet evolving customer and consumer needs. The organization works closely across internal teams, including Sales, Management, Finance, HR, Marketing, R&D, Quality, and Operations, to develop offerings that address market trends and unlock growth for partners. Finlays Solutions operates with a strong commitment to its mission, values, ethics, and long‑term goals, ensuring that every initiative reflects the company’s dedication to integrity, partnership, and sustainable success. The Sensory Scientist is a key technical contributor responsible for executing and advancing the company’s sensory program across beverage and ingredient innovation. Working under the guidance of the Manager, Sensory Insights & Digital Solutions, this role designs and conducts sensory research that strengthens product development, ingredient evaluation, and quality initiatives. The Sensory Scientist partners closely with laboratory scientists, technicians, and cross‑functional R&D teams to run sensory studies at both R&D lab sites and manufacturing locations. They also collaborate with external research agencies to conduct consumer testing when needed. This role requires strong scientific rigor, statistical fluency, and the ability to translate research objectives into clear study designs, interpret complex data, and communicate insights that influence product and business decisions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Sensory Science, Food Science, Psychology, Statistics, or a related field.
2–5 years of experience conducting sensory or consumer research in food, beverage, or ingredient industries.
Strong understanding of sensory methodologies, experimental design, and statistical analysis.
Experience running sensory panels and managing panelist activities.
Ability to translate research objectives into well‑designed studies and clear, actionable insights.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to present findings to technical and non‑technical audiences.
Ability to work effectively across R&D labs, pilot facilities, and manufacturing environments.
High attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Sensory Science, Food Science, or related discipline.
Experience with statistical software such as JMP, XLSTAT, Compusense, or similar tools.
Familiarity with consumer research methods and working with external research agencies.
Experience in B2B beverage, coffee, tea, or ingredient product development.
Knowledge of descriptive analysis techniques and multivariate statistics.
Exposure to digital data systems or structured data workflows within R&D environments.

Responsibilities

Lead day‑to‑day execution of the company’s sensory program, ensuring high scientific standards and operational excellence.
Design sensory studies that support product development, ingredient screening, quality assessments, and customer‑driven initiatives.
Develop test plans, protocols, and questionnaires aligned with research objectives and best‑practice sensory methodologies.
Manage sensory panel activities, including panelist recruitment, training, scheduling, and performance monitoring.
Conduct sensory sessions at R&D labs and support sensory evaluations at manufacturing sites as needed.
Maintain sensory facilities, equipment, and sample preparation workflows to ensure consistency and reliability.
Apply appropriate statistical methods to analyze sensory data, including difference testing, descriptive analysis, preference testing, and multivariate techniques.
Interpret results and translate findings into clear, actionable insights for R&D, QA, and commercial partners.
Prepare high‑quality reports, visualizations, and presentations that communicate complex sensory outcomes in an accessible way.
Collaborate with the Manager to integrate sensory data into broader R&D data systems and digital tools.
Partner with product developers, food scientists, analytical scientists, and process engineers to align sensory research with project needs.
Work closely with technicians and lab staff to ensure accurate sample preparation, coding, and execution of sensory protocols.
Support commercialization teams by providing sensory insights during scale‑up, quality reviews, and customer engagements.
Collaborate with external research agencies to design and execute consumer testing, ensuring alignment with internal objectives and standards.
Contribute to the evolution of sensory methodologies, panel capabilities, and data analysis approaches.
Identify opportunities to improve sensory workflows, data quality, and operational efficiency.
Stay current on sensory science trends, tools, and best practices to strengthen the program’s technical foundation.
Support the development of training materials and internal education to elevate sensory literacy across the organization.