Sr Research Scientist Sensory Innovation

Why Hershey:At The Hershey Company, our culture is rooted in purpose and inspired by Milton Hershey’s enduring vision that business should create opportunity for others. Through our commitment to corporate philanthropy, we create positive impact by supporting communities, helping children thrive, and operating as a business for good. This includes our deep and long standing partnership with Milton Hershey School, where we invest in education, workforce readiness, and hands on engagement to help students succeed beyond the classroom. Supported by strategic grantmaking, product donations, cross brand collaboration, and strong employee volunteerism, Hershey offers a place to work where making a difference—locally and globally—is part of how we do business every day.About The Hershey Company The Hershey Company is an industry-leading snacks company known for making more moments of goodness through its iconic brands. With a strong portfolio across chocolate, confectionery, and salty snacks, Hershey delights consumers every day. Our beloved brands include Hershey’s, Reese’s, KitKat, Dots Pretzels, Lesser Evil, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, and more. At Hershey, we are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities where we live, work, and do business. This commitment originated with our founder, Milton Hershey, and continues to shape who we are today.Guided by our employee value proposition, **Lead Today. Create Tomorrow, **we empower our people to drive impact now while shaping what comes next. Our One Hershey mindset brings teams together across functions, geographies, and businesses, enabling us to operate with speed, collaboration, and shared purpose.The Hershey Company is proud to be recognized as a top employer in the United States, reflecting our commitment to our people, culture, and purpose.How will you fit in the big picture?Reporting to the Sr. Manager, Sensory Innovation and based at The Hershey Company Technical Center, this role leads multiple medium-complexity sensory and consumer research initiatives and supports more complex projects. The position requires expertise in sensory science, consumer research, statistics, and data visualization, with the ability to translate research findings into actionable business recommendations. Success in this role requires strong problem-solving, critical thinking, stakeholder influence, and effective communication across technical and non-technical audiences.Key ResponsibilitiesServe as the sensory research lead for assigned brands.Design, execute, analyze, and communicate sensory and consumer research studies independently and collaboratively.Lead sensory research supporting innovation, product improvements, and margin enhancement initiatives.Apply analytical sensory methods alongside consumer testing to meet project objectives.Contribute to the development and implementation of new sensory and consumer research capabilities.Key PartnershipsProduct DevelopmentCommercial & Innovation MarketingConsumer InsightsQuality & Regulatory ComplianceTechnology DevelopmentExternal Research SuppliersTravelUp to 10% travel, primarily within the United States.What will you do?Proven success applying sensory and consumer research to support new product launches and product improvements.Strong knowledge of quantitative and qualitative consumer research methods (e.g., CLTs, HUTs, focus groups, ethnography, online surveys).Experience with analytical sensory methods, including descriptive and discrimination testing.Expertise in research design, statistical analysis, and translating complex data into actionable business insights.Experience with DOE, Drivers of Liking, product/process optimization, and category assessments.Proficiency with statistical software such as JMP, R, SPSS, SAS, Minitab, or similar tools.Experience with sensory data collection systems, preferably EyeQuestion, Compusense, or RedJade.Curiosity and adaptability in applying emerging technologies, including AI-enabled analytics, text generation, and predictive modeling.Strong collaboration, communication, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.Demonstrated leadership, business acumen, and conflict management capabilities.Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); experience with Copilot or similar AI tools is a plus.Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently with minimal supervision.Minimum Education & RequirementsMS in Food Science, Psychology, Statistics, or a related field with an emphasis in Sensory and Consumer Research and 2–4 years of relevant experience; or BS with 4–6 years of relevant experience.A degree or certification in Market Research is a plus.Benefits and Perks At Hershey, we offer competitive pay and a comprehensive total rewards package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security, and life outside of work.Health & Wellbeing: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, plus wellness programs that support your physical and mental healthFinancial Security: Competitive pay, annual incentive opportunities, and a 401(k) with company matchTime Off & Flexibility: Paid time off, company holidays, and flexible ways of working where applicableGrowth & Development: Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility.Benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other categories protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veterans. You may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application process as a result of a disability.You can request an accommodation via phone or email. To request an accommodation via phone, please call View phone number on click.appcast.io and leave a voicemail with your contact information. You may also email a request for accommodation to View email address on click.appcast.io. Please be sure to include “Accommodation Needed” in the subject line. This will ensure that your email is routed to the appropriate contact who will handle your request.#LI-KR1#LI-Onsite