Sr Specialist Quality & Sensory

Mars•Chicago, IL

7d•$101,120 - $139,040•Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Specialist Quality and Sensory is responsible for the implementation, coordination, and continuous improvement of Mars Snacking quality and sensory programs to enable products consistently meet established quality, food safety, sensory, regulatory, and consumer expectations. This role serves as a key technical resource and liaison supporting the execution of quality standards across products, ingredients, suppliers, manufacturing sites, and commercialization activities and ensures that the products are safe for human consumption and meet customer, consumer and regulatory requirements to achieve business objectives. The Sr. Specialist Quality and Sensory provides technical leadership and collaboration to assure quality and sensory program requirements are effectively executed, measured, and sustained across the organization.to improve Q&FS Management System for the Mars Snacking Accelerator brands.

Requirements

BS degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Food Safety, Engineering or related technical field
3 years of food manufacturing experience in a responsible position related to food safety or Quality and food safety management system and or a combination of education and 5+ years demonstrated success in relevant field

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Chemistry, Food Science, Food Safety, Engineering or related technical field
2 years of food plant experience in a responsible position related to food safety or Quality and food safety management system
Demonstrated leadership capabilities in leading a team
Demonstrated leadership of robust internal audit program
Demonstrated success with Food safety risk, identification and management, HACCP and prerequisite controls
Proven application of quality tools, food science, and statistics
Demonstrated capability to manage multiple priorities
Proven leadership within a team and demonstrated ability to lead change
Exhibited understanding of GMP, GLP, food allergens, pest control, sanitation, and food safety regulations
Expert knowledge of Food Safety Standards, procedures and legislation
Ability to work effectively in cross functional teams
Strong written and verbal communication skills. Strong presentation Skills
Demonstrated success with Food safety risk, identification and management, HACCP and prerequisite controls
Ability to travel up to 20% of the time

Responsibilities

Lead the implementation, coordination, and continuous improvement of company quality and sensory programs to support product excellence, consumer satisfaction, and business objectives.
Develop, maintain, and execute quality and sensory evaluation processes, methodologies, and standards to assess product and ingredient performance against established specifications.
Coordinate sensory testing activities, including descriptive analysis, discrimination testing, consumer evaluations, and product benchmarking to support product development, commercialization, and quality assurance initiatives.
Establish and maintain product and ingredient quality standards, specifications, scorecards, and monitoring systems to drive consistency across manufacturing locations and suppliers.
Monitor product quality performance metrics and sensory program effectiveness, communicating findings and recommendations to leadership and key stakeholders.
Identify, recommend, and implement corrective and preventive actions to address quality and sensory risks and improve product consistency.
Support commercialization activities by providing quality and sensory guidance during product development, reformulation, line extensions, and process optimization initiatives.
Maintain documentation, records, and reporting systems related to quality and sensory assessments, investigations, and improvement projects.
Provide training, coaching, and technical support to cross-functional teams on quality standards, sensory methodologies, product evaluation techniques, and best practices.
Participate in internal audits, compliance assessments, and quality system reviews to ensure adherence to company policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.
Lead or support continuous improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing product quality, ingredient performance, sensory excellence, operational efficiency, and consumer satisfaction.
Influence strategic quality and sensory initiatives by leveraging technical expertise, consumer insights, and data analytics to drive informed decision-making and business results.