R&D Sensory Intern

Emeryville, CA - USA

Monthly Salary: Not Disclosed

Posted on: 2 days ago

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

The program will be primarily project-based work and day-to-day shadowing/mentorship. The Interns will fill their weeks shadowing core members of the team to learn how their department functions and supports Peets business while focusing efforts on completing their project. The day-to-day activities will vary depending on which department you will support.

Weanticipateoffering a variety of engagement activities including but not limited to: Roasting Plant Tour Coffee Tasting Tea 101 Career Coaching and Coffee Chat with Stuart Heflin our President. These engagement activities are set to occur every other week. The connections you make here will be connections for life and help you transition to the working world after look forward to hosting you at Peets!

Based in Peets Home Office in Emeryville CA- we require all employees to work onsite4days per week. This is a part-time paid internship at $25.00/hrand will require a 30 hours/week commitment from June 8-August 7 2026.

Who We Are:

From its birthplace in Berkeley Peets started a revolution single-handedly inspiring the craft coffee movement in the U.S. Now we are on an inspiring award-winning journey from a beloved regional brand to becoming a national icon.

At Peets our love for the bean is strong. We are coffee for coffee people. We are the champions of coffee quality craft and culture--- and a leader in sustainability. We are on a mission not only to make better coffee but to make coffee better improving the lives and livelihoods ofcoffee-growingcommunities.

What You Will Do:

AsanR&D Sensory Internat Peets Coffee you willfocus on competitive benchmarking across the coffee CPG landscape with an emphasis on sensory analytical packaging and onpack claim evaluation.Youwill assess a range of product formats including but not limited to bagged R&G coffee bottled liquid coffee products and instant coffee to develop a holistic understanding of how Peets products compare within the marketplace.

In additionyouwill support daily sensory laboratory operations including but not limited to sample preparation panel setup and breakdown data collection and entry inventory management and general lab organization and maintenance. This handson lab support will provide exposure to routine sensory workflows while ensuring smooth execution of ongoing sensory evaluations.

This internship will helpestablisha structured competitive benchmarking effort across the U.S. coffee industry enabling Peets to clearly understand its current competitive position andidentifywhitespace opportunities for innovation. Additionally the work will support the foundation of an ongoing repeatable benchmarking program that can beleveragedfor future product development and strategic decisionmaking.

For selected product formats you will conduct robust data collection and synthesis across sensory evaluation analytical measurements packaging attributes and product claims culminating in a comprehensive written report

The final deliverable will include a comparative assessment of Peets products versus key competitors along with clear conclusionsidentifiedinnovation opportunities and recommended next steps to inform future development efforts

Who You Are (Qualifications and Skills):

Currently pursuing a degree inFood Science or a related scientific field (e.g. Chemistry Biology or Engineering)

Enrolled as a full time or part-time student at a California University/College

High attention to detail

Analytical thinking and problem-solving ability

Time management and prioritization skills

Professional communication skills (email and report writing)

Critical thinking and ability to generate insights

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Willingness to learn and accept feedback

Ability to conduct research

Positive attitude and intellectual curiosity

This description outlines the roles essential functions but may evolve with business needs.

What We Offer:

Recharge Time Holidays and sick days.
Health & Wellness Medical dental and vision coverage.
Everyday Perks Free coffee fresh baked goods and discounts.

Additional Information
At Peets we believe in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome qualified applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race color creed religion gender age marital status national origin sexual orientation gender identity citizenship status disability genetic information uniform service veteran status or any other category protected under federal state or local laws. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal state and local ordinances.

Peets is also committed to providing reasonable accommodation to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If you need assistance or accommodation please contact

Required Experience:

Intern

Our goal is toshowcasewhy Peets is the unique and special place it is - and give students like you an opportunity to learn about our culture operations decision making processes and day-to-day business.The program will be primarily project-based work and day-to-day shadowing/mentorship. The Interns ...