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Food Science Technicians
Life, Physical & Social Science · SOC 19-4013
20.4% AI Exposure — High
$52,130
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
—
Proj. Annual Openings
14,600
Employment (OEWS 2025)
80/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure20.4%
AI Resiliency80/100
Exposure BandHigh
Sector Avg. Exposure7.9%
Top Skills
1.Reading Comprehension
2.Active Listening
3.Writing
4.Speaking
5.Science
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Central Laboratory Technician (CLT), Food Science Tech (Food Science Technician), Laboratory Assistant (Lab Assistant), Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), QA Lab Tech (Quality Assurance Lab Technician), QC Tech (Quality Assurance Technician)
Representative Tasks
- •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.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Evaluate quality of materials or products.
- •Test quality of materials or finished products.
- •Record research or operational data.
- •Measure physical or chemical properties of materials or objects.
- •Analyze chemical compounds or substances.
Tools & Technologies
Microsoft Excel · hotMicrosoft Outlook · hotMicrosoft PowerPoint · hotMicrosoft Access · hotMicrosoft SQL Server · hotDatabase softwareIBM Lotus NotesOracle WebLogic ServerRed Hat WildFlyStructure query language SQL
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
0
Occupations Shown
0.0%
Avg AI Exposure
0
Bright Outlook
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 20.4% | 7.9% |
| Outlook | Average | 0% Bright |
| Median Salary | $52,130 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 80/100 | N/A |