Food Scientists & 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.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
- Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
- Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
- 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.
- Develop new food items for production, based on consumer feedback.
- Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
- Evaluate food processing and storage operations and assist in the development of quality assurance programs for such operations.
- Demonstrate products to clients.
- Seek substitutes for harmful or undesirable additives, such as nitrites.
- Test processing equipment to ensure products are produced according to specifications.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
98%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
98%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
97%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
90%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
84%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
83%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
79%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
78%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
74%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
73%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
73%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
72%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
68%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
61%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
61%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
60%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
60%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
59%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
58%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
55%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
55%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
54%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
54%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
54%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
51%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
50%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
49%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
48%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
48%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
47%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
41%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
38%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
38%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
36%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
35%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
34%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
31%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
31%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
31%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
29%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
29%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
28%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
26%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
24%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
18%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
18%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
18%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
16%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
14%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
14%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
14%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
12%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
11%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
11%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
8%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
5%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
4%
Education
Bachelor's degree
Post-secondary certificate
Associate's degree
Interests
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 f
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, t
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 hum
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Work Styles
Work Values
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