Food Scientists and Technologists

What Food Scientists and Technologists 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.

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience

None

On-the-job training

None

Self-employed

3.3%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

• Production and Processingimportance 4.4/5
• Food Productionimportance 4.1/5
• Chemistryimportance 4.0/5
• English Languageimportance 4.0/5
• Mathematicsimportance 3.7/5
• Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.7/5
• Biologyimportance 3.5/5
• Computers and Electronicsimportance 3.3/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

• E-Mail4.9/5
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.9/5
• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.9/5
• Telephone Conversations4.6/5
• Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.4/5
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.3/5

Related Careers

• Food Science Technicians
• Animal Scientists
• Chemists
• Agricultural Technicians
• Microbiologists
• Architectural and Engineering Managers
• Soil and Plant Scientists
• Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

• Occupational Health and Safety Specialists97% skill match
• Agricultural Inspectors97% skill match
• Construction and Building Inspectors96% skill match
• Occupational Health and Safety Technicians96% skill match
• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors95% skill match
• Animal Scientists95% skill match
• Medical Dosimetrists95% skill match
• Film and Video Editors95% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

• Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.9/5
• Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.9/5
• Systems Analysisimportance 3.6/5
• Systems Evaluationimportance 3.6/5
• Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.4/5
• Social Perceptivenessimportance 3.3/5
• Coordinationimportance 3.1/5
• Persuasionimportance 3.1/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

• Attention to Detail
• Intellectual Curiosity
• Dependability
• Innovation
• Cautiousness
• Integrity
• Achievement Orientation

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

• InvestigativeHigh
• RealisticHigh
• ConventionalMedium
• EnterprisingLow
• ArtisticLow
• SocialLow

Specific Interests

A more detailed breakdown of this occupation’s interest profile, per O*NET.

• Life Science
• Physical Science
• Engineering
• Mathematics/Statistics
• Culinary Art
• Medical Science

Military Backgrounds That Lead Here

Military occupations commonly matched to this career, per the DMDC Military Crosswalk.

• Food Safety Officer (640A)Army

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where food scientists and technologists make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).

1. 1Napa, CA12.25× national avg
2. 2Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR8.13× national avg
3. 3Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA5.09× national avg
4. 4Lincoln, NE4.88× national avg
5. 5Modesto, CA4.66× national avg

Possible Career Moves

A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.

• MicrobiologistsLateral Move
• Animal ScientistsLateral Move
• Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and InspectorsCareer Change
• Occupational Health and Safety SpecialistsLateral Move

See the full career path from Food Scientists and Technologists →

Related Education Programs

Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.