Graduate Sensory Panel Leader

Looking to grow and develop your career and skills in Sensory Research? Then this may be the opportunity you are looking for...

We’re searching for full time Graduate Sensory Panel Leaders to build their career here at MMR Research Worldwide!

About MMR:

MMR is an independent, global consumer and sensory research agency specializing in food, drink, personal and household care research. We are industry leaders, guiding best in class innovation for our clients – partnering with over 50% of the top 100 global food and drink brands. The chances are the last time you went to the supermarket, you bought something that we’ve influenced on its way to the shelves.

Our team of over 900 highly engaged, multi-disciplined employees are primarily dynamic research professionals, sensory experts and data scientists. We’re a diverse bunch, with backgrounds in R&D, insight, marketing, sensory science, data sciences and psychology. We also boast a true global reach with offices in the US, UK, The Netherlands, China, Singapore, Mumbai, Thailand, South Africa, Colombia and Brazil.

We are a “people first” company that prides itself on collaboration, honesty and mutual trust. A company who obtained some fantastic feedback for company engagement and team spirit in a recent employee study with 80% of employees stating they’re happy and proud to work for MMR.

About the role:

The successful individuals will support the Sensory Panel Manager, ensuring the smooth running of the panel sessions, and assisting in their day-to-day management. You will develop the necessary skills to design and execute sensory studies, and become a proficient Panel Leader. The role is based in our Sensory Science Centre, in Pleasantville, NY. Full training will be provided.

The role involves:

• On the job training to run our Pleasantville-based sensory panels - helping to run panel sessions as you learn the skills required to lead the panel independently. This includes moderating, performance tracking and creating descriptive language glossaries.
• Researching, sourcing, preparing and managing products and sensory references for sensory panel sessions, to ensure that products are evaluated according to strict protocols.
• Ensuring that all activities carried out comply with basic food hygiene standards in order to work safely within the laboratory. Basic food hygiene training will be provided.
• Taking responsibility for the daily running of the Sensory Panels to ensure the ultimate objective of meeting the clients’ requirements.
• Assist Project Managers with sensory projects, including participating in experiment design, preparation, process, and wrap-up/communication, to ensure that high quality results are delivered in a timely manner to clients.
• Running recruitment screening sessions and helping train new panelists to the required standards
• Program and run sensory software (Compusense) for sensory project data collection – training will be provided.
• Occasionally you could be assisting the team to create engaging proposals (timing, cost and design) and reports (data analysis, sensory charting and storytelling) for clients in Excel and PowerPoint.
• As your skills develop, you may have the opportunity to work with our panels in other locations, providing cover for our sensory panel leaders. This could include virtual panel leading for some of MMR’s panels based around the globe.

With MMR’s focus on developing new and better research methods and sophisticated analysis techniques, there's the opportunity to gain experience of several novel and exciting approaches to conducting research and interpreting data.

This is a fast-paced role and you will need to be organized with strong time management skills as you will work on a variety of projects at the same time.

You will be:

• A strong team player –able to maintain open and honest relationships with colleagues, building trust and confidence. You will need to be able to work well both independently and as part of a team
• A self-starter who likes to take initiatives and demonstrates flexibility in a dynamic environment (including flexibility / adaptability in time worked)
• A self-manager - able to switch between tasks according to business needs, coping with changing priorities and keeping US sensory team members informed of possible issues. Your exceptional organizational and time management skills and ability to multi-task will enable you to both prioritize your own workload and implement effective administrative processes
• Be able to be on your feet for pro-longed periods of time and able to lift heavy items (up to 20lb) when required
• In possession of excellent interpersonal and communication skills (fluent in written / spoken English is critical)

You will have:

• A Bachelor’s degree, ideally in a relevant field, such as Food Science, Sensory Science, Experimental Psychology and Sociology
• A real passion for working in sensory research
• Logical, analytical mind
• Natural passion for seeking out the most effective and efficient ways of working and being prepared to speak up about your ideas
• Great attention to detail – should be able to check own work and others’ work for inconsistencies and take the necessary action to rectify any errors/problems
• An aptitude for food preparation with limited supervision needed
• A level of computer literacy – be competent in Word, Excel and email. Training will be given in the relevant software packages

At MMR, we're committed to ensuring the happiness and well-being of each employee, regardless of where they are in the world!

We offer a wide range of core and additional benefits to enhance your experience with us. Competitive salaries, ample holiday allowances, and unparalleled training opportunities are standard here. Our vibrant culture, talented team, and focus on employee well-being is what makes MMR truly shine.

Ready to experience it for yourself? Apply now!