Food Science Technicians

• Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients.
• Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies.
• Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
• Monitor and control temperature of products.
• Compute moisture or salt content, percentages of ingredients, formulas, or other product factors, using mathematical and chemical procedures.
• Perform regular maintenance of laboratory equipment by inspecting, calibrating, cleaning, or sterilizing.
• Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
• Provide assistance to food scientists or technologists in research and development, production technology, or quality control.
• Train newly hired laboratory personnel.
• Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications.
• Mix, blend, or cultivate ingredients to make reagents or to manufacture food or beverage products.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Food Science Technicians.

• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Food Science Technicians.