Food Science Technicians

Description

Perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to determine physical or chemical properties of food or beverage products.

Tasks

Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients.
Provide assistance to food scientists or technologists in research and development, production technology, or quality control.
Compute moisture or salt content, percentages of ingredients, formulas, or other product factors, using mathematical and chemical procedures.
Record or compile test results or prepare graphs, charts, or reports.
Clean and sterilize laboratory equipment.
Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope.
Mix, blend, or cultivate ingredients to make reagents or to manufacture food or beverage products.
Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications.
Prepare slides and incubate slides with cell cultures.
Order supplies needed to maintain inventories in laboratories or in storage facilities of food or beverage processing plants.

Knowledge

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.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Mathematics: Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
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.

Skills

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
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.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities

Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
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 there is a problem.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Work Activities

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Work Context

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets: How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
Face-to-Face Discussions: How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled: How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate: How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
Work With Work Group or Team: How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Telephone: How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Electronic Mail: How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
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?
Structured versus Unstructured Work: To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Freedom to Make Decisions: How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

Interests

Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Style

Integrity: Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability: Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
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.
Adaptability/Flexibility: Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Stress Tolerance: Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Initiative: Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Self Control: Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Analytical Thinking: Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Independence: Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

Support: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Relationships: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement: Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence: Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition: Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Related Occupations

Soil and Plant Scientists

Biochemists and Biophysicists

Microbiologists

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Chemical Technicians

Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health

Lay Titles

Beer Brewer

Bench Technician

Biotechnician

Bottle House Quality Control Technician

Brew Master

Brewer

Butter Fat Tester

Cheese Tester

Chemist

Confectionery Technologist

Cream Tester

Dairy and Food Laboratory Assistant

Dairy Lab Technician

Dairy Technologist

Dairy Tester

Feed Mill Lab Technician

Fermentologist

Food Analyst

Food Critic

Food Products Tester

Food Quality Technician

Food Science Technician

Food Taster

Food Technologist

Food Tester

Fruit Tester

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Coordinator (HACCP Coordinator)

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Technician (HACCP Technician)

Juice Standardizer

Juice Tester

Laboratory Analyst (Lab Analyst)

Laboratory Assistant (Lab Assistant)

Laboratory Auditor (Lab Auditor)

Laboratory Technician (Lab Technician)

Malt Specifications Control Assistant

Microbiologist

Milk Tester

Operations Technician

Process Quality Technician

Processing Technician

Quality Analyst

Quality Assurance Analyst (QA Analyst)

Quality Assurance Inspector (QA Inspector)

Quality Assurance Laboratory Technician (QA Laboratory Technician)

Quality Assurance Manager (QA Manager)

Quality Assurance Supervisor (QA Supervisor)

Quality Assurance Technician (QA Technician)

Quality Control Analyst (QC Analyst)

Quality Control Manager (QC Manager)

Quality Control Technician (QC Technician)

Quality Technician

Research and Development Laboratory Technician (R & D Lab Technician)

Scientist

Sensory Analyst

Taste Tester

Technical Services Analyst

Technician

Test Baker

Yeast Culture Developer

National Wages and Employment Info

Median Wages (2008):: $16.38 hourly, $34,070 annual.

Employment (2008):: 18,280 employees