Sensory Scientist

Job Description

At IFF, we work tirelessly to discover flavors and fragrances that inspire customers and delight consumers. Passionate, creative, and empowered, we are constantly looking for new challenges—and developing new-to-world solutions that answer them. 

We are currently seeking for a Sensory Scientist to join our team in Hilversum, Netherlands.

You will be working within the Scent, Technology & Innovation department and will have a pivotal position at the heart of perfumery innovation research, supporting both the new fragrance ingredients program and the development of novel fragrance concepts to advance perfumery through a science-based approach. 

The Sensory Scientist will be responsible for coordinating and driving implementation of global standards for sensory testing within the department, and development of new testing protocols in support of innovation research. In addition, you will be responsible for implementing and maintaining rigorous protocols for statistical analysis, and organization of the generated data. As this will be a global role, affinity for working in a multi-cultural and multi-national environment, and excellent inter-personal skills are crucial.

YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and implement global standards for in-house sensory tests.
• Support global team in developing training curricula for in-house sensory panels.
• Design scientific methodologies to guide fragrance development: derive learning based on both psychophysics properties of ingredients and molecular structural motifs.
• Prepare technical reports that summarize project findings and generated knowledge.
• Design, implement and maintain predictive fragrance modeling tools built into in-house software’s used by the perfumery community. 
• Train and support perfumers and scientists in the use of informative/predictive tools.
• Support global teams in training and improving internal sensory panels. 
• Carry out ad-hoc projects to deliver business analytics and dashboards. 

Job Requirements

• You have a MSc degree in Sensory Science, Food Science, Chemistry, Chemical technology, or related study.
• We will rely on your at least 4 – 6 (if you hold a MSc) or 2-4 (if you hold a PhD) years of experience in the industrial food, pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetic, consumer goods, flavor and/or fragrance industry.
• You can work independently on large projects without direct manager supervision.
• You are proficient in English (Verbal and Written).
• Your skills:
  • Knowledgeable in the field of designing and running sensory panel tests.
  • Good understanding of statistical methods and able to perform in-depth analysis of evaluation results.
  • Innate curiosity about consumer behavior/ perfumery and ability to derive insights from complex data sets.
  • Experience with statistical software packages such as JMP, SPSS, R, or equivalent.
  • Excellent presentation and writing skills.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and has a solutions-focused approach. 
  • Efficient Planning and project management Skills.
  • Good olfactive skills are a clear requirement. Candidates will be screened for olfactive skills, but no previous experience is required.
• Preferred Skills:
  • Programming skills in Python, R, or any other equivalent language. 
  • Knowledge of databases such as SQL, ORACLE, or equivalent.

IFF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability. Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more.