Sensory Scientist

Position Title:Sensory Scientist

Position Type: Regular - Full-Time

Requisition ID:45150

In every role McCainers are ambitious curious and passionate about creating exceptional work experiences - together. With a customer-first mindset we make doing business with McCain easy.

About the role.

The Sensory Scientist reports to the Sensory UX Innovation Manager Asia Pacific and South African (APACSA) and is based in Delhi India.

This role applies sensory and consumer/customer research best practices and methodologies to provide guidance and insights to McCains regional and local Product Development teams throughout the stage gate process.

This position is a key member of a Asia Pacific and South African (APACSA) regional Sensory UX team and provides direction and training to various stakeholders on all sensory aspects of McCains products. Sensory Scientist partners with cross-functional teams to integrate sensory practices and testing where appropriate throughout the product development process.

The role is responsible for using and creating sensory Consumer/customer and analytical methods to guide product development enable successful innovation launches and guide renovation efforts. The Sensory Scientist designs and leads testing plans with scientific rigor issues reports and creates actionable recommendations to stakeholders.

The Sensory Scientist collaborates with R&D Marketing Consumer Insights Operations and other internal and external partners on new products processes quality improvements and cost savings to drive McCains profitable growth.

As part of the Global Sensory and User Experience team the Sensory Scientist also works with internal team members to expand McCains global sensory capabilities. This includes the optimization and standardization of sensory tools and the development of new or hybrid methods. It also includes developing new training materials assessing and onboarding new vendors identifying and closing gaps the company has in regard to its sensory needs and contributing to investigations regarding the linkage between sensory methods or attribute intensities to instrumental test methods.

The position executes and reports sensory and consumer/customer research studies. As such the Sensory Scientist builds and maintains strong relationships with core vendors supervises the application of best scientific practices by such vendors and manages test costs and timelines.

This position is based in the McCain HO. Ad hoc travel to regional plants and research venues (including Research Agency sites Universities etc) may be required (eg for product tastings/review and other R&D focused activities as required). McCain will reimburse travel costs for such work-related travel

What youll be doing.

1. Partners with Consumer Insights Research and Development Marketing Packaging Supply Chain and other business and product teams to guide the optimization of innovation products product improvements and define product quality as part of building consumer led specifications.
2. Drives projects through appropriate product and packaging consumer/customer and sensory learning plans from optimization to confirmatory testing inclusive of building foundational product knowledge protecting product quality and enhancing consumer/customer understanding.
3. Facilitates consumer/customer interactions to grow consumer/customer empathy. Examples of this include meetings with Customers to review and define product development briefs and sensory review of stimulus as well as leveraging any consumer/customer research being conducted by Sensory UX or Consumer Insights to bring exposure of the internal McCain R&D team to the consumer.
4. Facilitates the running of robust objective and fit for purpose round table/cook ups:

1. • With relevant McCain R&D/Technical Operations/Quality/Commercial team members to make the right decisions at the right time regards prototypes market samples etc and/or to educate and immerse the team in product/category insight.
   • The Sensory Scientist will lead moderation of such sessions where it is appropriate. The Developer will also moderate for routine lower risk panels.
   • The set up is carried out by the R&D Product/Pack Developer under guidance from the Sensory Scientist

1. Courageously champions product design and product quality as the sensory representative on the Research & Development and business teams.
2. Further strengthens best sensory practices within the Research & Development teams and provoke a sensory and experimental mindset.
3. Applies design of experiments (DoE) to sensory and consumer/customer testing.
4. Translates data to insights through synthesis of qualitative consumer/customer learning and interpretation of statistical analyses of quantitative sensory and consumer/customer data.
5. Communicates key findings in a relevant and easy to understand manner and guide business teams to next steps in the product development process.
6. Develops and fosters strong relationships with key sensory and consumer testing vendors (including research agencies Universities etc) to ensure flawless execution of tests and appropriate pricing.
7. Partners with the business to activate Product Stewardship programs. These focus on measuring and understanding the competitive space (internally or using external Trained Panel and consumer/customer research) and giving actionable guidance that may lead to renovation activities.
8. Works with The Sensory UX Innovation Manager APACSA to forward the Sensory UX agenda through the region. There may be occasions where participation in the broader McCain Sensory and UX team and/or R&D team is required eg team meetings methodology review relevant training sessions etc.

What youll need to be successful.

• Bachelors degree in Sensory Science Food Science Statistics Psychology or a related field.
• Masters degree with emphasis in Sensory Science preferred.
• Minimum 4 years of sensory science and consumer research experience across multiple research methodologies.
• Experience planning and executing sensory and consumer research in collaboration with R&D and Consumer Insights teams.
• Strong understanding of sensory evaluation techniques including discrimination testing descriptive analysis internal panel management and consumer research methodologies.
• Working knowledge of applied statistics Design of Experiments (DoE) and multivariate analysis techniques.
• Excellent communication stakeholder management collaboration and influencing skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects synthesize complex data into actionable insights and communicate findings effectively to diverse audiences.
• Experience managing external vendors and research partners is preferred.
• Knowledge of food chemistry biochemistry and statistics is desirable.
• Scientific curiosity and a strong commitment to experimentation innovation and continuous learning.

About the team.

This role is part of the APACSA Sensory UX team and reports to the Sensory UX Innovation Manager APACSA. The Sensory Scientist works closely with regional and global Sensory UX colleagues as well as cross-functional partners across R&D Consumer Insights Marketing Operations Packaging and Commercial teams. The position plays an important role in strengthening McCains sensory capabilities and fostering a consumer-led innovation culture across the region.

About McCain.

Click Here to learn more about McCain and how we provide opportunities to make an impact that matters.

Leadership principles.

At McCain our leadership principles guide how we engage with customers collaborate as a team and achieve success. We focus on understanding customer needs driving innovation empowering people and taking ownership to clear obstacles and deliver results.

AI & Digital Capabilities.

At McCain AI and digital capabilities are part of how we work and innovate. We value curiosity toward emerging technologies and the thoughtful responsible use of AI-enabled tools to improve outcomes as part of our future-ready culture.

The McCain experience.

We are McCain. This statement is a testament to our collective strength and our individual value. Your contributions play a vital role in our success. Our winning culture is rooted in authenticity and trust empowering us to bring out the best in one another. Here youll find opportunities to learn grow and thrive. Join us and experience why were better together.

Our purpose is grounded in building meaningful relationships. Were big believers in the power of working together in personit helps us stay connected collaborate more effectively and grow as a team. At the same time we recognize the importance of flexibility. Most office-based roles follow a hybrid model with the option to work remotely two days a week. There may be exceptions depending on the role and location so we encourage you to speak with your recruiter for more details.

McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company we strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity resilience and success and makes our business qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race religion color national origin sex age veteran status disability or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms) please let us knowand we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.

Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us you agree this will be handled in accordance with McCains Global Privacy Policyand Global Employee Privacy Policy as applicable. McCain leverages AI in the hiring process though all final decisions are made by humans. You can understand our approach to AI and how your personal information is being handled here.