Principal Scientist, R&D – Consumer Experience (CX) Product Insights

Job Purpose

ThePrincipal Scientist for CX Product Insightsis the technical authority and methodologist for consumer experience research across an assigned portfolio within Product Insights. You architect fit-for-purpose CX learning strategies across the end-to-end product lifecyclefrom front-end exploration and ideation through launch readinessensuring methodological rigor evidence quality and decision-ready synthesis that accelerates innovation and renovation. You translate consumer needs into clear product and packaging experience requirements influence cross-functional teams toward consumer-centric decisions and balance speed vs. rigor based on decision risk. You elevate functional capability through coaching playbooks/toolkits and ways of working and guide internal teams and suppliers to the right level of rigor for the decision at hand.Youllpartner closely with R&D (Product & Process Development Packaging Sensory) Marketing/BrandInsightsAnalytics Culinary and external suppliers to ensure consumer learning is converted into practical product packaging and technical decisions.

EssentialFunctions &Responsibilities

• Provide CX technical leadership for the assigned portfolio/platforms defining key information needs tied to business and technical decisions at each development milestone.

• Architect end-to-end CX learning plans (qualitative quantitative) from upstream exploration to downstream validation with clear decision framing success criteria and evidence standards.

• Serve as portfolio CX methodologist/SMEselecting applying and advising onappropriate methodsacross learning phases aligning rigor to risk and timeline.

• Translate consumer learning into clear experience requirements that guide product and packaging development including managing design tradeoffs and aligning on what success looks like.

• Lead high-stakes stakeholder readoutssynthesizingfindingstailoringstorylineand technical depth for executive vs. technical audiences; ensure implications are clear succinct and actionable.

• Serve as technical consultant to the CX team on study designs analysis plans and interpretation for high-stakes readouts and gate/milestone decisions.

• Evaluate pilot and standardize emerging CX methods and analytics (including vendor capabilities) documenting best practices limitations and evidence thresholds before scaling.

• Coach and upskill scientists and partners through training playbooks/toolkits best practices and consultative support including shaping ways of working that embed CX rigor across the function.

• Audit vendor strategy and performance for the portfoliocapabilitymatching scoping quality expectations data integrity checks performance management and deliverable acceptance criteria.

• Lead multiple simultaneous workstreams with strong prioritization operating discipline documentation and stakeholder communication in a fast-paced environment.

• Provide continuity/backup coverage for the senior team as needed.

• Ensure compliance with data integrity privacy and internal research governance requirements.

Expected Experience& Required Skills

• Bachelorsdegree minimum (Consumer Behavior/Psychology Marketing Research Engineering Food Science Human Factors Industrial Design or related STEM field).

• Minimum of6 years (BS) 5 years (MS) or4 years (PhD) in consumer/product research consumer experience or applied insights supporting product development and commercializationCPG or food & beverage strongly preferredwith demonstrated progression as a technical authority across multiple brands/platforms and vendor ecosystems.

• Recognizedexpertiseacross CX research methods (qualitative and quantitative) including end-to-end study design instrument development analysis planning synthesis and storytelling; ability to select methods based on decision risk and learningobjectives.

• Proven ability to influence product and packaging innovation/renovation decisions by translating consumer needs into clear experience requirements and decision criteria.

• Strong technical oversight: expert scoping critical review of study quality and ability to QA vendor work (methods analysis and interpretation).

• Clear succinct communication across audiences including leadership-level implications tradeoffs and uncertainty/limitations.

• Demonstrated capability building: coaching technical training andestablishingbest practices/standards in a matrixed organization.

• Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management; sound escalation judgment and ability to correct misinterpretations of evidence.

• Strong prioritization and independent execution across a complex portfolio with multiple concurrent projects.

• Workingproficiencywith quantitative/statistical interpretation used in CX and product testing; comfort using and overseeing common research platforms and analysis tools (survey/testing platforms analysis packages dashboards/BI) consistent with internal standards.

• Ability to travel up to20%ofthe time.

Work Environment & Schedule

We believe the office is a critical driver of innovation connection and development but also realize providing flexibility to our employees is critical. To create a more agile and modern workplace this position will be able to workvirtually forup to two days each week and will be expected to work in-person at the assigned work location at least three days per workweek.

This job description is not designed to cover orcontainall duties or responsibilities that are requiredofthe role. Duties or responsibilities may change or be added with or without notice.