Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Food and Drug Research Scientist
- Food Scientist
- Food Technologist
- Research Chef
Alternate Job Titles
- Applications Scientist
- Corporate Food Scientist
- Crop Advisor
- Dairy Bacteriologist
- Enologist
- Fermentation Scientist
- Flavorist
- Food and Drug Research Scientist
- Food Engineer
- Food Preservation Scientist
- Food Processing Scientist
- Food Safety Auditor
- Food Safety Regulatory Manager
- Food Safety Scientist
- Food Scientist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
- Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
- Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.
- Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
- Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
- Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Test processing equipment to ensure products are produced according to specifications.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Production and Processing
- Food Production
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Monitoring
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
- Category Flexibility
- Near Vision
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Dependability
- Innovation
- Cautiousness
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Support
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- HubSpot software
- Hypertext markup language HTML
- Marketo Marketing Automation
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- R
Tools & Equipment
- Air sampling systems
- Amino acid analyzers
- Amylographs
- Anaerobic growth chambers
- Analytical balances
- Atomic absorption AA spectrometers
- Automatic diluters
- Autosamplers
- Bacterial identification systems
- Batch fryers
- Benchtop nephelometers
- Biological safety cabinets
- Bioreactors
- Blast freezers
- Carbon dioxide CO2 laboratory incubators
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $49,580 |
| Median | $85,310 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $141,860 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 14,370
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Food Science Technicians
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $49,430
Animal Scientists
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $79,120
Chemists
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $84,150
Agricultural Technicians
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $46,790
Microbiologists
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $87,330
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.