Food Scientist & Technologist
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This page provides an overview of the Food Scientist & Technologist profession, including typical job responsibilities, required skills, and educational pathways.
Please note that this is not a job posting, but rather an informational guide to help you understand what a career in Food Scientist & Technologist entails
What Does A Food Scientist & Technologist Do
Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.
Other Job Titles
Food and Drug Research Scientist, Food Chemist, Food Engineer, Food Scientist, Food Technologist, Formulator, Product Development Scientist, Research Chef, Research Food Technologist, Research Scientist
Job Tasks
- Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
- Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
- Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
- Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
- Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
Annual Salary
- Workers on average earn $35.31/hr. – $73,450 annually.
- Projected Growth (2019-2029) Average (3%- 4%)
- Projected job openings (2019-2029) 1400
Required Education
High school diploma/GED, most jobs in this field require a Bachelor’s Degree
Resources
The Occupational Information Network is a free online database that contains hundreds of occupational definitions to help students.
Learn More >>The Occupational Outlook Handbook is the government’s premier source of career guidance featuring hundreds of occupations.
Learn More >>My Next Move is an interactive tool for job seekers and students to learn more about their career options.
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