Sensation, Perception & Behaviour Scientist

A temporary position is available from March 2012 until the end of the year for a Sensation, Perception and Behaviour scientist at the Unilever Research and Development laboratory at Port Sunlight on the Wirral, close to Liverpool.

The Sensation, Perception & Behaviour team supports a number of R&D projects through the generation of insights developed from a range of behavioural science disciplines.  The group’s key activities are the translation of perception and behavioural science into consumer relevant insights and the development and execution of a consumer research programme to guide R&D.

The role involves working within multidisciplinary project teams, generating knowledge of consumer’s perception and behaviour in order to deliver insights specific to the projects.  This will involve the piloting and execution of new techniques/methods and the translation of behavioural scientific principles and experimental findings into consumer relevant propositions.

Accountabilities

• To execute a relevant sensory science/ evaluation programme that meets project needs.  Delivery may be via either internal science experts and via research agencies.
• To communicate work internally to a variety of audiences (project leader, workstream leader, project team, colleagues).
• To work following Standard Operating Procedures, or to design these where required.
• To conduct sensory studies, using a range of different methods (discriminative, descriptive).
• To analyse data and recommend outcomes & implications for product development.
• To identify improvements for methods and suggest ways if implementing them.
• To assist in coaching others with technique selection & method development.

Ideal Criteria

• Candidates with a PhD in an area of behavioural/biological/physical science who have got experience in a “Consumer Insight” function – this includes Sensory evaluation, market Research, marketing, research agencies and possibly PR agencies.
• We would consider candidates without a PhD if they had relevant work experience.
• If the candidate is coming from an academic position (rather than an industrial one), we would require them to have a PhD in sensory science, psychology, or neuroscience, and to have worked in projects that have interaction with the consumer/ customer (e.g. government projects, public sector projects, health campaigns or industry).

Contact: jean-paul.claessen@unilever.com