Technical Sensory Lab Manager

Job Summary

Looking for a role that challenges you while making an impact on products people use every day? We are looking for a highly organized, safety-minded Technical Sensory Lab Manager to manage sensory sample preparation within a cognitive science research team in the Scent business unit.

IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences. We deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products.

Scent: Harnessing the full emotional power of scent, driven by pioneering creativity, science, consumer expertise and a mindful approach to fragrance design.​

The role is based in Shanghai, China (anchor role). Will closely collaborate with cognitive science colleagues and scientists across R&D and business who request sensory testing. Be part of a motivated, passionate, and open-minded team where together we can achieve greatness and make a real impact. Your potential is our inspiration.

Where You’ll Make a Difference

• •Manage daily sample requests, prioritization, tracking, and delivery to ensure timely support for R&D and business activities
• •Prepare, blend, dilute, label, code, and arrange fragrance samples for internal sensory, consumer and neuroscience testing
• •Maintain fragrance sample inventories, raw material stocks, and sample library databases
• •Ensure accurate documentation, labelling, storage, and traceability of all samples and materials
• •Operate and maintain the sample preparation laboratory, ensuring an organized, safe, and efficient working environment
• •Monitor equipment readiness, laboratory supplies, and inventories to ensure uninterrupted operations
• •Follow all laboratory safety requirements, and quality standards while identifying and communicating operational issues or risks
• •Coordinate sample shipments and logistics in compliance with internal procedures and regulatory requirements
• •Support sensory and consumer panel management including panelist recruitment, screening, training, monitoring, calibration and maintenance to ensure a high level of panelist performance
• •Support continuous improvement of workflows to drive efficiencies and effectiveness across all workflows

What Makes You the Right Fit

• •Bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field; equivalent lab experience accepted.
• •Hands-on laboratory experience in sample preparation, formulation, testing, and chemical handling.
• •Knowledge of laboratory safety, chemical management, PPE, MSDS, and waste disposal.
• •Experience maintaining inventories, equipment records, and laboratory documentation.
• •Strong attention to detail, numerical skills, organization, and ability to manage multiple priorities.
• •Effective communication, independent working style, and a continuous improvement/automation mindset.

How Would You Stand Out?

• •Experience with fragrances, flavors, cosmetics, home-care products, or other sensory-active materials.
• •Experience supporting sensory, consumer, or human perception studies.
• •Knowledge of fragrance compounding, contamination control, and solution preparation.
• •Familiarity with digital lab systems, inventory management, and sample tracking.
• •Experience with SOP development, process standardization, continuous improvement, and audit readiness.
• •Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional R&D environment.

Why Choose Us?

• •Join a creative, collaborative environment that encourages innovation and personal growth.
• •The role offers opportunities to expand expertise across regions and categories, work with global clients, contribute to worldwide initiatives, and receive competitive compensation and benefits packages, including performance incentives.

We are a global leader in taste, scent, and nutrition, offering our customers a broader range of natural solutions and accelerating our growth strategy. At IFF, we believe that your uniqueness unleashes our potential. We value the diverse mosaic of the ethnicity, national origin, race, age, sex, or veteran status. We strive for an inclusive workplace that allows each of our colleagues to bring their authentic self to work regardless of their religion, gender identity & expression, sexual orientation, or disability.

Visit IFF.com/careers/workplace-diversity-and-inclusion to learn more