CFChooseField
Science

Food Scientists and Technologists

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.

Visual summary of pay, outlook, skills, interests, and preparation for Food Scientists and Technologists
Download graphic

Median pay

$85,310
Median annual pay for Food Scientists and Technologists.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
View source ↗

10-year growth

6.5%
Projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Annual openings

1,200
Projected annual openings, including growth and replacement demand.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Employment

15,200
Estimated U.S. employment for Food Scientists and Technologists in 2024.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024
View source ↗

Jobs added or lost

+1,000
Projected numeric employment change from 2024 to 2034.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024–2034 projections
View source ↗

Entry preparation

Bachelor's degree
Typical education needed to enter Food Scientists and Technologists.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2024 profile
View source ↗
O*NET occupation profile

What the work involves

Strongest O*NET signals first.

Essential skills

  1. 1Active Learning
  2. 2Critical Thinking
  3. 3Reading Comprehension
  4. 4Active Listening
  5. 5Science
  6. 6Speaking

Knowledge areas

  1. 1Production and Processing
  2. 2Food Production
  3. 3Chemistry
  4. 4English Language
  5. 5Mathematics
  6. 6Engineering and Technology

Abilities

  1. 1Problem Sensitivity
  2. 2Category Flexibility
  3. 3Deductive Reasoning
  4. 4Inductive Reasoning
  5. 5Information Ordering
  6. 6Near Vision

Career interests

  1. 1Investigative
  2. 2Realistic
  3. 3Conventional
  4. 4Enterprising
  5. 5Artistic
  6. 6Social

Work styles

  1. 1Attention to Detail
  2. 2Intellectual Curiosity
  3. 3Dependability
  4. 4Innovation
  5. 5Cautiousness
  6. 6Integrity

Work activities

  1. 1Documenting/Recording Information
  2. 2Getting Information
  3. 3Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  4. 4Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  5. 5Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  6. 6Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Work context

  1. 1E-Mail
  2. 2Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  3. 3Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
  4. 4Telephone Conversations
  5. 5Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
  6. 6Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Representative 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.
  • Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
  • Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.

Software and tools

Microsoft Outlook · in demandMicrosoft Excel · in demandMicrosoft Office software · in demandMicrosoft PowerPoint · in demandHubSpot software · hot technologyHypertext markup language HTML · hot technologyStructured query language SQL · hot technologyMarketo Marketing Automation · hot technologyMicrosoft Access · hot technologyTableau · hot technologyMicrosoft Word · hot technologySAP software · hot technology

Sources

BLS provides national pay, employment, and projections. O*NET provides skills, interests, preparation, tasks, work context, and tools.

ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.