Careers · Explore one path
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.
Other titles employers use
Corporate Food Scientist · Food and Drug Research Scientist · Food Engineer · Food Safety Regulatory Manager · Food Scientist · Food Technologist · Formulator · Product Development Scientist
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to analytical, practical and organizing work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
Subjects to know
- Production and Processing
- Food Production
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Mathematics
Useful strengths
- Problem Sensitivity
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.4 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.4 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.9 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A four-year degree 82%
- A certificate or some college 9%
- A two-year degree 5%
- A master's degree 4%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Data base user interface and query software
- Sales and marketing software
- Web platform development software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 3,700
- Job openings each year
- 310
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 8.8%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3,700 | 310 | 8.8% |
| Texas | 1,170 | 100 | 20.6% |
| New Jersey | 1,150 | 90 | 8.5% |
| Maryland | 800 | 70 | 9.6% |
| New York | 780 | 0 | — |
| Illinois | 760 | 60 | 5.6% |
| Missouri | 630 | 50 | 10.5% |
| Wisconsin | 630 | 50 | 10.5% |
| Georgia | 610 | 50 | 10.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 550 | 40 | 5.8% |
| Iowa | 470 | 40 | 4.4% |
| Michigan | 440 | 40 | 4.8% |
| Oregon | 430 | 30 | 7.5% |
| North Carolina | 420 | 40 | 13.5% |
| Indiana | 380 | 30 | 11.8% |
| Minnesota | 380 | 30 | 5.6% |
| Ohio | 360 | 30 | 9.1% |
| Florida | 350 | 30 | 12.9% |
| Kansas | 330 | 30 | 6.5% |
| Colorado | 310 | 30 | 14.8% |
| Nebraska | 300 | 30 | 11.1% |
| Arkansas | 290 | 20 | 11.5% |
| Kentucky | 250 | 20 | 8.7% |
| Utah | 200 | 20 | 25.0% |
| Washington | 200 | 20 | 17.6% |
| Mississippi | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| South Dakota | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Idaho | 100 | 10 | 25.0% |
| Tennessee | 100 | 10 | — |
| Massachusetts | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| New Hampshire | 60 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Virginia | 60 | 0 | 20.0% |
| Rhode Island | 50 | 0 | — |
| Montana | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Puerto Rico | 40 | 0 | — |
| South Carolina | 40 | 0 | — |
| Alabama | 30 | 0 | — |
| Maine | 20 | 0 | — |
| North Dakota | 20 | 0 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
- Degrees each year
- 112
- Admit rate
- 30%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
University of California-Davis
- Degrees each year
- 93
- Admit rate
- 42%
- Annual cost after aid
- $12,000
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Degrees each year
- 74
- Admit rate
- 44%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Clemson University
- Degrees each year
- 60
- Admit rate
- 38%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
California State University-Fresno
- Degrees each year
- 48
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
Mississippi State University
- Degrees each year
- 43
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $19,000
Cornell University
- Degrees each year
- 102
- Admit rate
- 8%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Degrees each year
- 50
- Admit rate
- 77%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000