Ive never heard the term sensory scientist before and was curious what it might mean.
Tell us about your current position and how long youve been at it.
First of all, what is a sensory scientist?
Mostly we run taste tests, but it isnt quite so simple.
Broadly yes, your statement is correct.
The other main role is related to new products.
We also run tests in the U.S. and around the world for products that are under development.
Whether were creating line extensions or new products, the consumer is involved early and often.
What drove you to choose your career path?
Two years into that degree I learned of food science, became fascinated, and jumped ship.
How did you go about getting your job?
What kind of education and experience did you need?
I have an Associates degree from the Culinary Institute of America in Culinary Arts, and a B.S.
and Ph.D. in food science from Cornell University, with a concentration in sensory science.
Most people follow a somewhat similar food or biological science B.S.
plus either an M.S.
Did you need any licenses or certifications?
What kinds of things do you do beyond what most people see?
What do you actually spend the majority of your time doing?
What misconceptions do people often have about your job?
I think people misunderstand the level of science needed to run best in class taste tests.
Sometimes, those restaurant tabletop feedback cards make me cringe with poor question wording or confusing language.
What are your average work hours?
Im usually here 7:30-5:30 or about ~45-50h a week on a good week.
The work is rewarding so I dont dwell on hours too much.
What personal tips and shortcuts have made your job easier?
The first is that I am a strong believer in using technology to deliver faster and better insights.
This is opposed to the old paper-survey based methods or a direction-connection client-server model, which doesnt easily scale.
The second and perhaps more important thing is that empathy is critical for what we do.
Empathy with our business partners, empathy with my team and most importantly empathy with our consumers.
What do you do differently from your coworkers or peers in the same profession?
What do they do instead?
Im flexible with the scientifically designed best practices as long as everyone is aligned with the implications.
In that constrained space is where beautiful and elegant solutions can emerge.
Both carry huge risk.
Whats the worst part of the job and how do you deal with it?
Businesses want certainty and the language of sensory science is statistics and probability.
Bridging that gap can be difficult at times.
I spend a lot of time 1:1 with cross functional team members building trust and explaining what things mean.
Whats the most enjoyable part of the job?
Working with the peopleour grower-owners, our employees, and our consumers.
Do you have any advice for people who need to enlist your services?
Pretty niche service, I suppose!
Really anyone interested in learning more about the field should check out those resources.
What kind of money can one expect to make at your job?
The Institute of Food Technologistspublished a Food Science salary surveyin 2013.
Based on their survey, the median salary for a Sensory Evaluation Specialist is roughly $76,000.
With a few exceptions, the hiring climate fared pretty well during the recent downturn.
How do you move up in your field?
What do people under/over value about what you do?
What advice would you give to those aspiring to join your profession?
Were a relatively small field and everyone knows everyone just abouttake advantage of this.
Get involved with one or both of the previously mentioned sensory societies.
If youd like to share your career, email us at[email protected].
Image byScience Photo(Shutterstock).
