Associate Senior Consumer Experience Scientist

About the team 
CCX (Culinary & Consumer Experience) is a key strategic partner within the R&D function. We translate consumer behaviors, pain points, and expectations into actionable insights and principles that inform product and packaging development - helping create ownable, distinctive food experiences for our consumers. 
We’re a global capability team based in Nijmegen, with champions across the globe, partnering on local and global innovation and renovation projects. We’re a creative yet scientific group of consumer researchers, sensory scientists, innovation chefs, and design strategists - and we bring consumer advocacy into development workstreams. 
 
Associate Senior Consumer Experience Scientist at a glance ...
As an Associate Senior Consumer Experience Researcher, you will play a key role in delivering consumer learning for packaging innovation and renovation projects. You will lead consumer research projects from learning plan execution through insight delivery, generating impactful consumer insights that help guide packaging decisions across development stages.  You will partner closely with cross-functional teams to understand learning needs, execute qualitative and quantitative research, synthesize findings into actionable recommendations, and ensure the consumer perspective remains central to project decisions.

You will also contribute to strengthening Consumer Experience capabilities by supporting the development and implementation of research tools, methodologies, and best practices that improve the quality, efficiency, and scalability of packaging research across Kraft Heinz.

Key Ingredients: 

• Successfully lead and execute consumer learning projects supporting packaging innovation and renovation initiatives.
• Deliver clear, actionable consumer insights that influence packaging decisions and development priorities.
• Build strong working relationships with Packaging R&D, Design, Marketing, Consumer Insights, and external research partners.
• Ensure research methodologies are fit-for-purpose and aligned to project objectives and key decisions.
• Embed consumer-centric thinking within project teams through consistent advocacy and evidence-based recommendations.
• Contribute to the development of scalable CX research tools, frameworks, and best practices.
• Support effective research budget management and delivery of projects within agreed timelines and scope.
• Connect learnings across projects, categories, and markets to maximize business impact and organizational learning.

Consumer Learning & Research Execution

• Lead consumer experience research projects from learning plan execution through insight generation and recommendation delivery.
• Support the development of stakeholder-aligned learning plans that connect business questions, learning objectives, methodologies, and decision milestones.
• Execute qualitative and quantitative research studies end-to-end, including study design, fieldwork management, analysis, synthesis, and reporting.
• Apply appropriate consumer research methodologies and best practices to answer packaging-related business questions.
• Translate consumer feedback and behavioral insights into clear recommendations that guide packaging design and development decisions.

Stakeholder Partnership & Influence

• Partner with Packaging R&D, Marketing, Consumer Insights, Design, and other project stakeholders to ensure consumer learning is integrated into project ways of working.
• Facilitate research readouts and collaborative synthesis sessions with project teams.
• Influence project direction through evidence-based recommendations and consumer-centric perspectives.
• Support innovation, renovation, and productivity initiatives by identifying opportunities, risks, and consumer-driven actions.

Research Operations & Vendor Management

• Support development of research proposals, project scopes, and research budgets.
• Manage external research agencies and partners to deliver high-quality research outputs efficiently and effectively.
• Track research timelines, deliverables, and project risks, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with stakeholder expectations.
• Identify and proactively address research execution challenges and recommend mitigation actions when needed.

Capability Building

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Consumer Experience methodologies, frameworks, tools, and ways of working.
• Support the standardization and scaling of repeatable packaging research approaches.
• Stay informed and actively explore emerging consumer research methods, industry trends, and technological advancements to enhance CX capabilities.
• Share learnings and best practices across projects and the broader Consumer Experience community.

Recipe for Success: Apply if this sounds likes you!

• Master's degree or PhD in Consumer Science, Psychology, Behavioral Science, Marketing Research, Human Factors, Design Research, Anthropology, Sensory Science, UX Research, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in Consumer Experience, Consumer Insights, Consumer Research, Sensory & Consumer Science, UX Research, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience conducting qualitative and quantitative consumer research.
• Ability to translate complex data into clear, compelling, and actionable business recommendations.
• Experience managing external research agencies or suppliers preferred.
• Experience supporting innovation, renovation, or product/package development projects preferred.
• Experience working in FMCG (innovation and/or renovation) - Preferred

Location(s)

Nijmegen

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes.