Salary Breakdown
Food Scientists and Technologists
Average
$82,470
ANNUAL
$39.65
HOURLY
Entry Level
$39,630
ANNUAL
$19.06
HOURLY
Mid Level
$79,090
ANNUAL
$38.03
HOURLY
Expert Level
$124,970
ANNUAL
$60.08
HOURLY
Projected Jobs
Food Scientists and Technologists
340
Projected job openings through 2030
Sample Career Roadmap
Food Scientists and Technologists
Supporting Programs
Food Scientists and Technologists
Top Expected Tasks
Food Scientists and Technologists
01
Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
02
Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
03
Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
04
Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
05
Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
06
Evaluate food processing and storage operations and assist in the development of quality assurance programs for such operations.
07
Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
08
Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
09
Seek substitutes for harmful or undesirable additives, such as nitrites.
10
Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Food Scientists and Technologists
Common knowledge, skills & abilities needed to get a foot in the door.
KNOWLEDGE
Food Production
KNOWLEDGE
Biology
KNOWLEDGE
Chemistry
KNOWLEDGE
Production and Processing
KNOWLEDGE
English Language
SKILL
Active Listening
SKILL
Reading Comprehension
SKILL
Writing
SKILL
Complex Problem Solving
SKILL
Critical Thinking
ABILITY
Oral Comprehension
ABILITY
Problem Sensitivity
ABILITY
Deductive Reasoning
ABILITY
Inductive Reasoning
ABILITY
Near Vision
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