Sensory Scientist — Flavor & Fragrance Innovation

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc.; Northbrook (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. in Northbrook, IL is seeking a Sensory Scientist to design and lead sensory and consumer research that supports product development, quality, and business decisions. You will apply scientific methods and statistics to generate actionable insights for internal teams and customers.

The role requires leading descriptive panels, developing testing protocols, and collaborating with R&D, Marketing, and Quality to translate results into practical recommendations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in food science, sensory science, or related field.
• Five to seven years of sensory or consumer research experience, including descriptive panel leadership.
• Familiarity with descriptive analysis, discrimination testing, and product-based consumer research.
• Experience developing and maintaining lab SOPs and training teammates.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and manage sensory and consumer research studies for flavor and fragrance projects.
• Lead internal sensory panels, including scheduling, sample coordination, panel facilitation, data analysis, reporting, and follow-up.
• Support Descriptive Analysis program through panelist recruitment, training, lexicon development, data collection, and interpretation of results.
• Develop and validate sensory methodologies, testing protocols, and best practices.
• Analyze research data and communicate findings to technical and nontechnical audiences.
• Train team members, contractors, and panel staff on sensory procedures and SOPs.
• Manage external research vendors, timelines, budgets, fieldwork, and deliverables as needed.
• Maintain accurate research records, protocols, datasets, and reports.

Skills

Sensory research

Statistical analysis

Panel leadership

Communication

Project management

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's in Food Science or related field

Master's in Sensory Science (preferred)

Tools

Compusense

Job description

Bell Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. in Northbrook, IL is seeking a Sensory Scientist to design and lead sensory and consumer research that supports product development, quality, and business decisions. You will apply scientific methods and statistics to generate actionable insights for internal teams and customers.

The role requires leading descriptive panels, developing testing protocols, and collaborating with R&D, Marketing, and Quality to translate results into practical recommendations.