Sr Research Scientist Sensory

Posted Date: Aug 18, 2026

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. 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.

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Serve 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 Partnerships

• Product Development
• Commercial & Innovation Marketing
• Consumer Insights
• Quality & Regulatory Compliance
• Technology Development
• External Research Suppliers

Travel

Up to 10% travel, primarily within the United States.

Requirements

• 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.

Qualifications

MS 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

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 health
• Financial Security: Competitive pay, annual incentive opportunities, and a 401(k) with company match
• Time Off & Flexibility: Paid time off, company holidays, and flexible ways of working where applicable
• Growth & Development: Career development programs, learning opportunities, and internal mobility

Benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.