Life, Physical, and Social Science · Holland code RCI

Food Science Technicians

Work with food scientists or technologists to perform standardized qualitative and quantitative tests to determine physical or chemical properties of food or beverage products. Includes technicians who assist in research and development of production technology, quality control, packaging, processing, and use of foods.

Also called: Central Laboratory Technician (CLT), Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), QC Tech (Quality Control Technician), Quality Assurance Analyst (QA Analyst), Food Science Tech (Food Science Technician), Laboratory Assistant (Lab Assistant), QA Lab Tech (Quality Assurance Lab Technician), QC Tech (Quality Assurance Technician).

O*NET 19-4013.00

At a glance

US median annual pay: $52,130; Middle half earn $46,020 to $63,270. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Bachelor's Degree; 32% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 3 of 5; Medium preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications.
Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies.
Monitor and control temperature of products.
Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
Record or compile test results or prepare graphs, charts, or reports.
Prepare or incubate slides with cell cultures.
Perform regular maintenance of laboratory equipment by inspecting, calibrating, cleaning, or sterilizing.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension3.8 / 5
Active Listening3.5 / 5
Writing3.5 / 5
Speaking3.5 / 5
Science3.3 / 5
Critical Thinking3.3 / 5

Knowledge areas

Food Production3.8 / 5
Production and Processing3.7 / 5
Chemistry3.5 / 5
English Language3.4 / 5
Computers and Electronics3.1 / 5
Biology3.1 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic76
Investigative59
Artistic6
Social12
Enterprising16
Conventional67

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

food biotechnologist · DE Lebensmittelbiotechnologe/Lebensmittelbiotechnologin · FR spécialiste en biotechnologie alimentaire
food production engineer · DE Lebensmittelproduktionstechniker/Lebensmittelproduktionstechnikerin · FR ingénieur de production agroalimentaire/ingénieure de production agroalimentaire
food technologist · DE Lebensmitteltechnologe/Lebensmitteltechnologin · FR ingénieur en technologie alimentaire/ingénieure en technologie alimentaire
food safety specialist · DE Fachkraft Lebensmittelsicherheit · FR responsable sécurité sanitaire en agroalimentaire
food analyst · DE Lebensmittelchemiker/Lebensmittelchemikerin · FR analyste agroalimentaire
food technician · DE Lebensmitteltechniker/Lebensmitteltechnikerin · FR technicien agroalimentaire/technicienne agroalimentaire

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Environmental health professionals (2483)14,900 employed
Quality assurance technicians (3115)36,100 employed
Natural and social science professionals n.e.c. (2119)36,500 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Craft and related trades workers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Craft and related trades workers, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€40,086
Germany	€38,638
Austria	€38,194
Sweden	€37,856
Netherlands	€37,077
Ireland	€36,098
France	€27,145
Italy	€26,488
Spain	€22,817
Portugal	€11,142
Poland	€10,099

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

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