Food Science Technicians
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 19-4013.00
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.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.204
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.26
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 10 hidden tasks16 rated tasks · 7 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (43.8%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Tasks of O*NET-SOC 2010 occupation 19-4011.02 Food Science Technicians, linked to this occupation by the O*NET-SOC 2010 to 2019 crosswalk
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Compute moisture or salt content, percentages of ingredients, formulas, or other product factors, using mathematical and chemical procedures.19-4011.02 | 0.111284.7 |
Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope.19-4011.02 | 0.00836.3 |
Provide assistance to food scientists or technologists in research and development, production technology, or quality control.19-4011.02 | 0.00513.9 |
Monitor and control temperature of products.19-4011.02 | 0.00473.6 |
Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients.19-4011.02 | 0.00201.5 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Compute moisture or salt content, percentages of ingredients, formulas, or other product factors, using mathematical and chemical procedures.O*NET Task ID 7578 | 1.0 |
Record or compile test results or prepare graphs, charts, or reports.O*NET Task ID 7579 | 1.0 |
Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.O*NET Task ID 7581 | 1.0 |
Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies.O*NET Task ID 20394 | 1.0 |
Provide assistance to food scientists or technologists in research and development, production technology, or quality control.O*NET Task ID 7577 | 0.5 |
Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope.O*NET Task ID 7583 | 0.5 |
Order supplies needed to maintain inventories in laboratories or in storage facilities of food or beverage processing plants.O*NET Task ID 7587 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (16)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients. | Core |
| Provide assistance to food scientists or technologists in research and development, production technology, or quality control. | Core |
| Compute moisture or salt content, percentages of ingredients, formulas, or other product factors, using mathematical and chemical procedures. | Core |
| Record or compile test results or prepare graphs, charts, or reports. | Core |
| Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables. | Core |
| Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics. | Core |
| Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope. | Core |
| Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications. | Core |
| Order supplies needed to maintain inventories in laboratories or in storage facilities of food or beverage processing plants. | Core |
| Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies. | Core |
| Monitor and control temperature of products. | Core |
| Perform regular maintenance of laboratory equipment by inspecting, calibrating, cleaning, or sterilizing. | Core |
| Train newly hired laboratory personnel. | Core |
| Supervise other food science technicians. | Core |
| Mix, blend, or cultivate ingredients to make reagents or to manufacture food or beverage products. | Supplemental |
| Prepare or incubate slides with cell cultures. | Supplemental |
0.71/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Provide assistance to food scientists or technologists in research and development, production technology, or quality control. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications. | E2 structured facilities |
| Monitor and control temperature of products. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Perform regular maintenance of laboratory equipment by inspecting, calibrating, cleaning, or sterilizing. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mix, blend, or cultivate ingredients to make reagents or to manufacture food or beverage products. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Prepare or incubate slides with cell cultures. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 21K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 22K
- Change (2025–35)
- +4.8%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $52,130
- Typical education needed for entry
- Associate's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23930 | 식품공학 시험원 | Same scope | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 3142Agricultural Technicians
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Agricultural technicians perform tests and experiments, and provide technical and scientific support to agricultural scientists, farmers and farm managers.
Tasks
- (a) preparing materials and equipment for experiments, tests and analyses;
- (b) collecting and preparing specimens such as soils, plant or animal cells, tissues or parts or animal organs for experiments, tests and analyses;
- (c) assisting with and performing experiments, tests and analyses applying methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy;
- (d) identifying pathogenic micro-organisms and insects, parasites, fungi and weeds harmful to crops and livestock, and assisting in devising methods of control;
- (e) analysing produce to set and maintain standards of quality;
- (f) conducting or supervising operational programmes such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programmes;
- (g) analysing samples of seeds for quality, purity and germination rating;
- (h) collecting data and estimating quantities and costs of materials and labour required for projects;
- (i) organizing maintenance and repairs of research equipment.
Example occupations
Dairy Technician · Field Crop Technician · Herd Tester · Horticultural Technician · Poultry Technician
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- food analystESCO 3111.3Same scope
Food analysts perform standardised tests to determine the chemical, physical, or microbiological features of products for human consumption.
- coffee tasterESCO 7515.1This occupation is broader
Coffee tasters taste coffee samples in order to evaluate the features of the product or to prepare blending formulas. They determine the product's grade, estimate its market value, and explore how these products may appeal to different consumer tastes. They write blending formulas for workers who prepare coffee products for commercial purposes.
- farm milk controllerESCO 7515.2This occupation is broader
Farm milk controllers are responsible for measuring and analysing the production and quality of the milk and providing advise accordingly.
- fisheries refrigeration engineerESCO 3151.1This occupation is broader
Fisheries refrigeration engineers perform maintenance and repair machines and equipment in the fish hold and refrigeration system on board of fishing vessels.
- malt masterESCO 7515.4This occupation is broader
Malt masters evaluate and grade different malts on a sensory basis for brewing purposes. They assess the look, the smell, and the taste of raw materials and unfinished products in order to maintain the consistency of products. They use their knowledge to prepare mixtures as part of product development.
- viticulture adviserESCO 3142.1.3This occupation is broader
Viticulture advisers advise on improving vineyard production and wine-making.
- food graderESCO 7515.3Overlapping, not the same
Food graders inspect, sort and grade food products. They grade food products according to sensory criteria or with the help of machinery. They determine the product's use by grading them into the appropriate classes and discarding damaged or expired foods. Food graders measure and weigh the products and report their findings so the food can be further processed.
- food technicianESCO 3119.5Overlapping, not the same
Food technicians assist food technologists in the deveolpment of processes for manufacturing foodstuffs and related products based on chemical, physical, and biological principles. They perform research and experiments on ingredients, additives and packaging. Food technicians also check product quality to ensure compliance with legislation and regulations.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H1503 | Technicien / Technicienne de laboratoire d'analyse industrielle | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| A1423 | Œnologue | Related, not a match |
| H2106 | Technicien / Technicienne de fabrication en industrie alimentaire | Related, not a match |
| H1244 | Formulateur / Formulatrice de produits alimentaires | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 3121 | Técnicos en ciencias físicas y químicas | This occupation is narrower |
| 3160 | Técnicos de control de calidad de las ciencias físicas, químicas y de las ingenierías | Related, not a match |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 29203 | Berufe in der Lebensmittelherstellung (ohne Spezialisierung) - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 41322 | Berufe im chemisch-technischen Laboratorium - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 29103 | Berufe in der Getränkeherstellung (ohne Spezialisierung) - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29113 | Brauer/innen und Mälzer/innen - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29123 | Weinküfer/innen - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29133 | Brenner/innen und Destillateure/Destillateurinnen - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29143 | Berufe in der Fruchtsafttechnik - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29152 | Nahrungsmittel- und Getränkekoster/innen - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29213 | Berufe in der Mühlenprodukt- und Futtermittelherstellung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29223 | Berufe in der Back- und Konditoreiwarenherstellung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29233 | Berufe in der Fleischverarbeitung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29243 | Berufe in der Fischverarbeitung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29253 | Berufe in der Milchproduktherstellung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29263 | Berufe in der Süßwarenherstellung - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 29283 | Berufe in der Lebensmittelherstellung (sonstige spezifische Tätigkeitsangabe) - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 41293 | Aufsichtskräfte - Biologie | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 071 | 食品技術者（開発） | Related, not a match |
| 573 | 食料品検査従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 081 | 食品技術者（開発を除く） | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources