Sensory Technician

What’s Our Dish

Announced in May 2018, Peapod Digital Labs (PDL) is an Ahold Delhaize USA company that powers the eCommerce and digital strategies for the Great Local Brands of Ahold Delhaize USA. Accelerating growth in digital and personalization capabilities, PDL is an innovation lab focused on meeting the changing needs of customers, regardless of when, where, and how consumers choose to shop.

Browse The Aisles
Support the Sensory Manager by conducting product quality assessments and sensory evaluations at assigned local Brand for both current and newly developed Private Brand (PB) products. Ensure full alignment with brand guardrails, quality standards and nutritional guidelines in conjunction with PB Nutritionist for the Private Brands portfolio of brands. May work with Private brand manufacturers and outsourced QA third party organizations (where applicable) to monitor quality and conduct sensory evaluation of Private Brand products across assigned categories. Maintain records of all sensory, quality and validation evaluations. Provide administrative support to the Sensory team.

Recipe for Success - What's “in store” for the role
Product Validation

• Responsible for conducting product quality evaluations supporting new item development, reformulations, and category bids for the Private Brands products.
• Procures and requests product samples as needed to facilitate evaluations.
• Contributes to the review of the product and specifications to ensure compliance with Private Brand guardrails including Guiding Stars, balanced retailing requirements, ingredient, and nutritional information for assigned categories and/or at assigned local Brand.
• Collaborates with Sourcing and Category Development Managers to develop product briefs which provide mentorship to suppliers on product quality parameters required for category bids and new items.
• Collaborates with Private Brands Nutritionists to ensure compliance with product nutritional standards including compliance with the Guiding Stars program.
• Maintains reporting and data recordkeeping for all assigned Validation and Sensory activities.

Product Quality Monitoring

• Acts as an advocate of product quality in the strive to develop outstanding private brands products.
• Supports the monitoring, investigation and response to quality customer complaints (store, associate customer) regarding assigned categories of Private Brand products ensuring identification of issues and trends and communicating as relevant to the wider business.
• Maintains accurate and detailed records of all evaluations and quality monitoring.

Sensory/Customer Research Program

• Supports the Private Brands product sensory assessment program at assigned local Brand, including consumer (in-store) and associate (Store Support Office) sensory research/panels.
• Works with the Sensory manager to collate and write up the results of Sensory evaluations and issues to relevant Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Private Brands, and in conjunction with PB Innovation team provides mentorship regarding next steps.
• Collaborates with the Private Brand Innovation teams to aid reformulating and fine-tuning of new product formulations based on sensory panel feedback.
• Crafts and writes Sensory Ballots and sets up sensory panels using relevant sensory science and techniques to build candid customer and associate sensory research.
• Collaborates with the in-store customer research third party company to arrange testing schedule at assigned local Brand.

The Essentials In Your Cart - The required ingredients

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and related work experience in one of the following or related subject: Food Science, Food Technology, Nutrition, Sensory Science, Biochemistry, Microbiology
• 2 years of Sensory Tech experience preferred
• Oral and written communication skills
• Ability to analyze, interpret and take appropriate action on information
• Clerical and Administrative
• Up to 5% travel

Extra Spices - What you should bring to the table

• Expertise in sensory testing, guidance and consumer product testing
• Ability to evaluate multiple aspects of food products
• Understanding of consumer food products and brand management
• Understanding of the private label retail food business environment and metrics
• Ability to adapt to change
• Ability to work on multiple projects
• Communicate cross functionally

Join Us at Our Table

Peapod Digital Labs is a forward-thinking company with a strong legacy of innovation. We recognize who powers our progress – our people! Our vision is to become an organization where humanity is universally embraced; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are infused in our business; and our PDL employees are representative of the world and the communities that we serve.

We believe in total wellness, which encompasses a balance of physical, financial, and emotional wellness. No matter where you are on your personal wellness journey, PDL provides access to a variety of tools and resources to support total wellness. This includes medical, dental, and vision benefits, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) with a strong company match, paid parental leave, adoption assistance, tuition reimbursement, generous and flexible paid time off and holiday policy, and an array of voluntary benefits including critical care, pet insurance, and additional life coverage.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to sex, race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, marital status (including civil unions), military service, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions), genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, legally recognized disability, domestic violence victim status or any other characteristic protected by law.