Description |
Altria Group is a FORTUNE 200 company that owns the premier tobacco companies in the United States including Philip Morris USA, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company and John Middleton. The companies' premium tobacco brands include Marlboro, Copenhagen, Skoal and Black & Mild. Altria also owns Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, one of the country's top premium wine producers and Philip Morris Capital Corporation, an investment company. Altria's mission is to own and develop financially disciplined businesses that are leaders in responsibly providing adult tobacco and wine consumers with superior branded products.
Altria Client Services' role is to help Altria Group and its operating companies responsibly meet their business goals by providing the high-quality services they require in a financially disciplined way. We are currently seeking a highly qualified Research Scientist to join our Sensomics department in Richmond, VA.
The successful candidate will be part of a team responsible for the overall design, development, conduct, interpretation, management and reporting of sensory evaluations for tobacco and non-tobacco products. You will identify, develop and utilize sensory testing methods and state-of the-art scientific instrumentation to evaluate products, prototypes and/or ingredients.
Specific responsibilities include:
- Conceiving and developing new paradigms and theoretical frameworks to advance the understanding of sensory perception
- Designing research plans, determining appropriate research methodologies, coordinating tests, analyzing and interpreting experimental data and providing technical recommendations, reporting results verbally and in written documentation
- Serving as sensory subject matter expert and technical resource to the network of multi-disciplinary laboratories that comprise RD&E, Supporting areas such as Product Development and Quality
- Collaborating with the other research groups, senior technical staff and management to address and devise novel solutions to highly complex sensory questions
- Participating in external scientific activities by making presentations and submitting publications to peer-reviewed journals. Maintaining active contact with external subject matter experts to keep abreast of new developments
- Providing technical guidance and direction in collaboration with other scientists to junior level technical personnel working in the laboratory
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Requirements |
Qualifications include:
- Ph.D. in Food Science, Neuroscience, Physiology or related field
- Minimum of 3 years of equivalent industry experience in sensory evaluation / consumer research
- Fundamental knowledge and expertise in chemosensory physiology and sensory methodology (psychophysics, discrimination and descriptive test methods) and instrumentation
- Experience applying experimental design and statistics to sensory research
- Ability to interpret complex data and communicate ideas and research findings to Senior Management
- Fundamental knowledge and experience in quantitative statistical analyses
- Ability to work well with all levels of personnel and external resources (e.g., sensory panelists, vendors, suppliers and technical leaders/researchers in external scientific community)
- Excellent interpersonal communication (written and verbal), problem-solving, leadership and project management skills. Flexibility and attention to detail are a must
At Altria Client Services, we recognize that our people are the reason we achieve our business goals. We believe in developing the leadership potential of our employees by providing them with opportunities for training, development and advancement.
In addition to the opportunity to apply and develop your skills toward key business objectives, we offer an excellent compensation package including a competitive base salary, comprehensive health/vision/dental insurance, participation in our incentive compensation and deferred profit sharing programs, as well as a relocation assistance package.
Altria Client Services Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or other legally protected characteristic.
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