The Scientist role in Technical Consumer Data Research (TCDR) reports to the APAC Senior Director, TCDR, and is primarily a lab-based position responsible for leading internal sensory operations and supporting business-critical projects across the GCM and ASP Operating Unit. The role plays a key part in delivering high-quality sensory and consumer data to enable product, packaging, and equipment development aligned with productivity, renovation, and innovation priorities.
As an individual contributor, the TCDR Scientist designs, manages, and executes sensory and consumer research within internal sensory lab environments, ensuring rigorous study preparation, execution, and analysis. The role supports cross-functional business projects by generating reliable data, actionable insights, and clear recommendations tailored to Operating Unit needs.
Working closely with the broader TCDR team and business partners, the Scientist contributes to local innovation initiatives by applying human-centric design principles and integrating consumer understanding into development processes. This includes building product and category knowledge, uncovering consumer preferences, and translating insights into guidance that strengthens the innovation pipeline and ensures market-relevant, consumer-preferred solutions.
Organizationally, TCDR sits within the Innovation, Technology & Strategy function, enabling strong integration of sensory and consumer insights into strategic decision-making and reinforcing the role’s impact on delivering competitive, market-leading offerings.
Functional Related Activities / Key Responsibilities
Manage and lead all internal Sensory laboratory operations to include laboratory, and personnel such as panels, contractors, technicians, interns, as appropriate.
Conduct and manage laboratory-based experiments, ensuring accurate data collection, adherence to protocols, and timely delivery of high-quality results to support research and business objectives for the OU requirements.
Design, execute and conduct sensory & consumer research studies to meet specific project objectives gaining valuable sensory insights and providing guidance to the development team and Business partner. Manage all phases of the study including experimental design, test execution, statistical analyses and reporting of the results, aligned with OU TCDR leader.
Be curious, proactively leverage external knowledge (supplier, symposium, literature review) to identify & prove alternative beneficial future forward methods (AI assisted), aligned with TCDR global category leader.
Data Analytics & Synthesis
Knowledge and intermediate level usage of Statistical software (SPSS, SAS, JMP, etc.), Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Project, Word.
Technical Risk Management
Business Understanding & System Knowledge
Technical Communication & Data Storytelling
Influencing & Stakeholder Management
Function as a key business partner by effectively managing and nurturing internal and external relationships, including collaboration with research suppliers, academic institutions, and cross-functional project teams, to support research initiatives.
Qualifications & Requirements:
Educational Requirement: Batchelor Science Degree BSc or MSc/ PhD from an accredited University in Food or Sensory Science, Engineering, Behavioral Psychology, or related field, and technical mastery of Sensory, Consumer, Applied Statistics, to include science, methodologies, frameworks, and approaches.
Work Related Experience: 4+ years of experience within FMCG Beverage/Food Industry with proven relevant experience in Sensory and Consumer research and data, working in a FMCG organization with PD, Marketing and Human Insight, ability to translate data results into business recommendations. Operational Sensory laboratory experience in preferred.
Desired Skills and Competencies:
Human-Centered Design: Design a research plan to address key questions for a specific project.
Technical Communication: Simplify complex information in a concise format that is appropriate for the audience.
Data Analytics & Synthesis of Structured and Unstructured data.
Business Partnerships: Work with multiple functions to execute project work (R&D, Marketing, HI, etc.)
Serves as a trusted advisor, offering insights into relevant markets, business strategies, and operating environments to support informed decision-making across the organization and among individual team members.
Process Improvement: Recommend more effective ways of working to execute and drive value.
Travel: Travel is not a requirement for this role.
Chemistry, Communication, Continual Improvement Process, Data Compilation, Environmental Science, Food Safety and Sanitation (Inactive), Food Sciences, Food Technology, Green Solutions, Laboratory Testing, Leadership, Microbiological Test, Product Development, Quality Control (QC), Researching, Sensory Testing, Sustainability, Waterfall Model
Location(s):
China
City/Cities:
Shanghai
Travel Required:
00% - 25%
Relocation Provided:
Yes
Job Posting End Date:
August 14, 2026
Our Purpose and Growth Culture:
We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.
