Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Food Scientists and Technologists *
 
Food Scientists and Technologists
(O*NET 19-1012.00, SOC 19-1012)
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.
 
Also called:
Food and Drug Research Scientist, Food Chemist, Food Engineer, Food Scientist, Food Technologist, Formulator, Product Development Scientist, Research Chef, Research Food Technologist, Research Scientist
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2023
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 27.17   $56,510  
25% $ 29.50   $61,370  
Median $ 36.67   $76,270  
75% $ 39.83   $82,840  
90% $ 44.78   $93,150  
 
Average $ 35.61   $74,060  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Food manufacturing
48%
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services
12%
  • Management of companies and enterprises
10%
  • Self-employed workers
9%
  • Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods
5%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • Food Production
    Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • Biology
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Chemistry
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  • Production and Processing
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading Comprehension
    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Writing
    Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Complex Problem Solving
    Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Critical Thinking
    Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Investigative
    Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Analytical Thinking
    Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Cooperation
    Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  • Achievement/Effort
    Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • 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.
  • Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
  • Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
  • Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 42
2030 employment 45
Annual percent change
(compounded)
0.7%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
5
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    Bachelor's degree
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    None
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Important
  • Level of activity is Moderate
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Considerable Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (7.0 to < 8.0) - A typical worker will require over 2 years up to and including 4 years of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  26%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  17%
Bachelor's degree   57%
Associate's degree   0%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  0%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  0%
Less than high school diploma   0%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Problem Sensitivity
    The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Deductive Reasoning
    The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive Reasoning
    The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Near Vision
    The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Analyzing Data or Information
    Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Inspect areas for compliance with sanitation standards.
  • Evaluate quality of materials or products.
  • Research methods to improve food products.
  • Test quality of materials or finished products.
  • Evaluate new technologies or methods.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 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.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor