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Food Scientists and Technologists

O*NET files this work under Food Scientists and Technologists: people who 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. The skills rated most useful are reading comprehension, critical thinking, and active learning. A regular part of the work is to inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management. The strongest interest signal is Investigative (5.7 of 7), then Realistic (5.1) and Conventional, which gives it the code IRC. Getting in usually takes a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience, a level O*NET calls considerable preparation. It tends to suit people who want research, analysis and working through hard problems, and it offers little for anyone seeking helping, teaching or caring for people.

What they 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.

Main 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.
  • 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.

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Science

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and critical thinking.

May not suit you if

  • You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
  • You want helping people to be at the center of your work. Social rates 2.2 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code IRC takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Corporate Food Scientist
  • Food and Drug Research Scientist
  • Food Engineer
  • Food Safety Regulatory Manager
  • Food Scientist

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.