Sensory Science Intern

Description

Ready for more than just a job? Build a career with purpose.

At Lactalis in the USA, we’re committed to providing meaningful opportunities for our people to learn, grow, and thrive—whether you’re just starting your journey with us or looking to take the next step in your career. From day one, we offer the tools and support to help you succeed.

As the world leader in dairy, Lactalis is a family-owned company with over 85,000 pragmatic and ambitious professionals across the globe. Each day, we’re proud to produce award-winning dairy products that bring people together.

In the US, we proudly offer an unrivaled house of beloved brands, including Galbani® Italian cheeses and ricotta, Président® specialty cheeses and butters, Kraft® natural and grated cheeses, Breakstone’s® cottage cheese, Cracker Barrel®, Black Diamond® cheddar, and Parmalat® milk. Our yogurt portfolio includes siggi’s®, Stonyfield Organic®, Brown Cow™, Oui®, Yoplait®, Go-Gurt®, :ratio®, Green Mountain Creamery®, and Mountain High®, along with a growing family of ethnic favorites like Karoun®, Gopi®, and Arz®.

At Lactalis, we live by our core values—Ambition, Engagement, and Simplicity. We foster a workplace where innovation thrives, diverse perspectives are celebrated, and everyone’s unique background and ideas are valued.

Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply. We want to hear about your PASSION, your STORY, and how your EXPERTISE can help us shape the future of dairy. 

From your PASSION to ours

Lactalis USA, part of the Lactalis family of companies, is currently hiring a Sensory Science Intern based in Buffalo, NY.  Join our R&D team as a Sensory Science Intern, where you will play a hands-on role in evaluating the taste, texture, and consumer appeal of our products. This is a comprehensive 12-month, on-site opportunity located in Buffalo, NY, designed for an individual eager to bridge the gap between food science and data-driven insights. 

From your EXPERTISE to ours

Key responsibilities for this position include:

• Assist the sensory scientists in designing, planning, and executing R&D sensory evaluations (discrimination, descriptive, hedonic/consumer tests). 
• Coordinate panel scheduling, sample prep, and sensory session setup. • Recruit, train, and calibrate sensory panelists for descriptive analysis. 
• Analyze sensory data using appropriate statistical methods (T-Test, ANOVA, PCA, cluster analysis, preference mapping). 
• Present sensory results to stakeholders in R&D, Marketing, Quality, and Manufacturing. 
• Drive to various stores to obtain commercially available dairy products for use by sensory expert panels and other tastings as needed.

Requirements

From your STORY to ours

Qualified applicants will contribute the following:

Education 

• Candidate will possess or be pursuing a Bachelors or Masters degree in scientific field (Biology, Chemistry, Agriculture, etc.; Dairy or Food Science a plus)  

Experience 

• Interest in Sensory Science is a plus. The description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties. 
• Experience in conducting sensory testing, setup, and interpretation of results is a plus.

Competencies 

• Strong attention to detail and excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
• Need to be able to work independently and in teams, with minimal direct supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to interface and maintain effective relationships with all departments and employees in a team oriented organization. 
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines within specified time constraints. 
• Ability to operate in a transversal environment, across multiple departments. 
• Ability to adapt in a changing work environment. 
•  Valid driver’s license required. 
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. 

** This internship is expected to start at the end of March 2026 and end March 2027**

Lactalis is an equal employment opportunity employer. We will not discriminate against applicants with regard to any legally-recognized basis including, but not limited to: veteran status, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, sexual orientation, and physical or mental disabilities. Further, any division of the Company that is an Affirmative Action Employer will comply with all related legal obligations.