Senior Sensory Scientist

Mission Foods; Grand Prairie (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Mission Foods seeks a Sensory Scientist to lead descriptive panels and deliver actionable sensory results that drive product performance. You will partner with R&D and Marketing Insights to support new products, improvements, and best practices in sensory assessments.

The role requires a Bachelor’s in food science/tech and at least 5 years in sensory science, with strong statistics and data interpretation skills, and the ability to present findings clearly to teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in food science/technology or similar field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in sensory science.
• Experience in the application of statistical analysis. Requires advanced skills in research design, and statistical applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead descriptive panel planning, execution, and interpretation.
• Support and execute sensory projects for new products and improvements.
• Design experiments and interpret statistical results for sensory evaluations.
• Collaborate across R&D and marketing insights and cross-functional teams.

Skills

Sensory science

Statistics

Data interpretation

Communication skills

Leadership

Teamwork

Presentation skills

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in food science/technology

Job description

The Sensory Scientists manage resources to support the business strategies related to the Stage Gate Process in which Sensory Evaluation plays a role. Leads the descriptive panel and provides value-added actionable sensory results to drive business performance across the product categories. Works as a partner for both departments R&D and Marketing Insights delivering sensory and interpretation results that supports consumer research projects, the development and improvement of new and existing products, and the development of the best practices in sensory descriptive assessments.

• Acts as a panel leader for the descriptive panel. Provides the planning, execution, and interpretation of a descriptive analysis in corn and flour tortillas, and chips.
• Supports and executes projects through planning appropriate descriptive, and sensory evaluation methods and communicates key findings and the interpretation results to R&D, marketing insight, and cross-functional teams for new products or product improvements.
• Designs experiments and interpret statistical analysis of results for sensory evaluation assessments.
• Coordinates and collaborates across the R&D teams, and business teams, on the process of new products and product improvement projects.
• Executes descriptive panel recalibration efforts to maintain the panel at their optimal capability.
• Make final reports and presentations and generate accurate data.
• Delivers technical knowledge representing the function.
• Performs other duties as required.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in food science/technology or a similar field. Minimum of 5 years of experience in sensory science as a core element of the role.
• Experience in the application of statistical analysis. Requires advanced skills in research design, and statistical applications.

Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience may be considered for the above.

• Able to plan and manage projects
• Excellent level of technical competency in sensory science
• Excellent skills in the interpretation of data obtained
• Excellent knowledge in statistics
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written), good organizational development skills
• Knowledge of tortilla and chips category is a plus
• Passionate, adaptable and willing to grow and work in a team environment
• Food Science and Technology background
• Able to work well in a team environment
• Good leadership skills
• Decisive thinker
• Professional conduct and manner
• Ability to give presentations.

Gruma Corporation and its affiliates, including but not limited to Azteca Milling, L.P., are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law. The information collected by this application is solely for the purposes of determining suitability for employment, verifying your identity, and maintaining employment statistics on applicants. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act as well as state and local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on Gruma. Please inform the company's personnel representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.