Sensory & Consumer Scientist

Requirements

• Master's degree in Food Science, Nutrition, Dietetics, Psychology, Market Research, Culinary Arts or other related area is preferred but not required. PhD Preferred.
• Experience with Compusense Cloud (or comparable software like RedJade, FIZZ, or SIMS).
• Working knowledge of Sensory & Consumer Science testing methods (preference, acceptance, difference testing, JAR and penalty analysis, QDA and Spectrum Descriptive Analysis) and/or statistical software like R/SAS/SPSS/JMP/XL Stat.
• Experience with Focus Groups (remote / in person) is strongly preferred.
• MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
• If filled as Research Project Manager - Professional, this position requires:
• Bachelor's Degree
• No prior relevant work experience required; previous relevant work experience accepted in lieu of education.
• Required Certifications:
• None
• If filled as Research Project Manager - Intermediate Professional, this position requires:
• Master's Degree
• 1+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted
• BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
• Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.
• Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• SALARY & BENEFITS
• The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $56,200.00 - $89,600.00.
• Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Benefits

Additional Information

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process . Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants . Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants . This position is funded for 1 year(s); continuation past 1 year(s) will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding. POSITION SPECIFICS The Sensory Evaluation Center (SEC) in the Department of Food Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences is seeking a full-time Sensory & Consumer Scientist (Research Project Manager - Intermediate Professional or Professional Level) to manage studies for academic research and industrial clients, including creating experimental designs, training student workers, scheduling and executing studies, data analysis and archiving, and reporting of study results. The work is fast paced, as the facility tests several hundred people in a typical week. Internal clients include graduate students and faculty in Food Science and/or other departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences. External clients include large multinational corporations and smaller food companies within Pennsylvania. Oversight and technical guidance are provided by the SEC Director (Dr. John Hayes) and Associate Director (Dr. Helene Hopfer), but the successful individual will be expected to make routine decisions and allocate resources without direct supervisory input. Daily activities include fielding inquiries from clients, advising on research designs, developing project proposals for clients using existing templates, and generating technical reports of results upon project completion. Other activities include creating standard operating procedures for sensory tests, hiring and training student workers, leading creation of training materials for support staff, organizing short course and outreach activities, assuring regulatory compliance, including preparation, submission and documentation of protocols for Human Subjects Protection and Lab Safety. The successful individual will also present data at conferences and coauthor peer reviewed papers as appropriate. Required Qualifications: Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and written and oral communication skills are essential. Attention to detail and good project management skills are vital requirements, as well as an ability to work in a team environment across multiple levels of experience and seniority.

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