Sensory Scientist

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka.We’re proud of our award-winning culture and distilleries. Our Louisville office has been named one of the “Best Places to Work in Kentucky” four times, and our Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned the title of “world’s most award-winning distillery” through the dedication of our craftsmen for well over 200 years. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, Sazerac provides extraordinary opportunities for growth with competitive salaries and benefits in an exciting, entrepreneurial industry.The Sensory Scientist partners closely with Sazerac’s Product Development team to advance new product innovation and key business initiatives. Working collaboratively with Brand Management and Consumer Insights, this role combines scientific rigor with creative problem-solving to develop alcoholic beverages that meet or exceed consumer expectations. The Sensory Scientist designs, executes, and interprets internal and external sensory testing and leads initiatives related to cost optimization, formulation improvement, and supply-chain performance. This position ensures product quality and sensory consistency while delivering measurable business value.Key ResponsibilitiesStrengthen organizational effectiveness by developing talent, providing ongoing feedback, and coaching team members to build knowledge, skills, and performance capabilitiesApply sensory data and insights to support brand strategy, new business initiatives, and product lifecycle management, contributing to long-term portfolio growthAdvance and continuously improve the Sensory Program by standardizing and executing robust sensory methodologies across product development, plant quality, distillation, and supplier partnershipsLead sensory-driven initiatives that support fiscal year growth by increasing sales and/or reducing costs while maintaining a high-quality consumer experienceEnsure product consistency through effective sensory matching to reduce quality and supply-chain risk and minimize customer complaintsPartner cross-functionally with Brand Management, Consumer Insights, and external stakeholders to apply rigorous sensory testing throughout development and commercializationBuild strong professional relationships across internal teams and external partners while modeling company values and positive leadership behaviorsCoordinate with internal and external stakeholders—including Senior Sensory Scientist, Brand, and Procurement—to plan and execute testing that supports supply-chain optimization and value engineering without compromising sensory quality#LI-TH1#LI-OnsiteMust HaveMinimum 5 years of relevant experienceBachelor’s degree in food science, chemistry, statistics, data science, or a related fieldExcellent oral and written communication skillsAbility to communicate effectively across all organizational levelsExperience in the alcoholic beverage or beverage or food industryAbility to work collaboratively and independentlyStrong planning and organizational skillsProven ability to manage multiple concurrent projectsDemonstrated sensory aptitudeExperience in advanced predictive modeling and statistical analysisStrong initiative, leadership mindset, and drive to succeedComfort operating in evolving environments and building new processes and teamsExperience with Compusense or similar programsPreferredChange management experienceMaster’s degree in a related fieldPhysical RequirementsAbility to lift and/or move objects up to 50 pounds without assistanceAbility to distinguish flavors through taste and smellAbility to identify and distinguish colorsModerate office noise environment (business office setting)Ability to travel up to 25%In-person job attendance requiredA career at Sazerac offers you the opportunity to reach your full potential as part of a creative, decisive, high-performance team. Sazerac values the needs and wants of our team members and offers inclusive benefits to attract and retain the best talent. Our culture is built upon the values of hard work, diligence and personal responsibility.Sazerac Team Members enjoy:Competitive PayComprehensive Benefits from Day One including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.Family Coverage:Options to cover family members, including domestic partners.401(k) Plan:Immediate access to a matching 401(k) plan.Flexible Time Away:Enjoy paid time off (PTO), holidays, and parental leave.Mental Health and Wellness:Access to mental health care and wellness incentive programs.Educational Support:Benefit from tuition reimbursement and our scholarship program for dependents of Sazerac team members.Fun Extras:Enjoy branded apparel, fun events, and a team member bottle purchase program.Training and Development:Opportunities for professional growth and development.Benefits, salary range, and programs may vary by role or location. For roles within our commercial team - the Salary range refers to base salary only and does not include car allowance, annual bonus, fuel or cell phone reimbursement.Please ask your Talent Acquisition Partner for more information about our total rewards package. Sazerac is committed to equality of opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability or any other legally protected status.USD $90,952.00/Yr.

Created: 2026-02-09