Food science technicians
SOC Code: 19-4013
Food science technicians carries a 53% AI exposure score (High automation risk), with a median annual wage of $49,430 and +4.8% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 20,400 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 53% AI exposure, Food science technicians sits 16 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 90% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
42/100
Food science technicians, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage F $49,430
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth B +4.8%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 53% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Food science technicians in the High band.
Credential × growth standing
Associate / award entry with a named growth shelf
Entry credential Associate / award covers 99 of 832 occupations; BLS places this one in Average (378/832). Mid-credential standing - thicker than graduate shelves, thinner than HS-dominated mass.
Where Food science technicians sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Food science technicians sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
53% Higher than most higher than 90% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Food science technicians vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Food science technicians is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Food science technicians's High automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score in the 40–70% range indicates meaningful automation pressure on specific task categories, but the role as a whole still requires human judgment for coordination, exception handling, or client interaction.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 19-4013) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Food science technicians be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Food science technicians. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Taste or smell foods or beverages to ensure that flavors meet specifications or to select samples with specific characteristics.
- 2. Measure, test, or weigh bottles, cans, or other containers to ensure that hardness, strength, or dimensions meet specifications.
- 3. Maintain records of testing results or other documents as required by state or other governing agencies.
- 4. Monitor and control temperature of products.
- 5. Analyze test results to classify products or compare results with standard tables.
- 6. Record or compile test results or prepare graphs, charts, or reports.
- 7. Prepare or incubate slides with cell cultures.
- 8. Perform regular maintenance of laboratory equipment by inspecting, calibrating, cleaning, or sterilizing.
- 9. Examine chemical or biological samples to identify cell structures or to locate bacteria or extraneous material, using a microscope.
- 10. Conduct standardized tests on food, beverages, additives, or preservatives to ensure compliance with standards and regulations regarding factors such as color, texture, or nutrients.
Key Skills Required
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
- Quality Control Analysis
Knowledge Areas
- Food Production
- Production and Processing
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Biology
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Food science technicians?
Food science technicians has an AI exposure score of 53%, indicating a high level of automation risk. Some tasks in this role can be augmented or partially automated by AI, but core responsibilities require human judgment.
What is the job outlook for Food science technicians?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Food science technicians is projected to grow by 4.8% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 20,400 workers.
What skills are needed for Food science technicians?
Key skills for Food science technicians include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, and others. Typical entry-level education is Associate's degree.
How much do Food science technicians earn?
The median annual wage for Food science technicians is $49,430, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Food science technicians?
The typical entry-level education for Food science technicians is Associate's degree. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Food science technicians?
Food science technicians roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
High automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. A moderate share of tasks may be augmented by AI tools.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Food science technicians: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (53% here).
- Baggage porters and bellhops · AI exposure 53%
- Captains, mates, and pilots of water vessels · AI exposure 53%
- Financial risk specialists · AI exposure 53%
- Human resources specialists · AI exposure 53%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+4.8% here).
- Meeting, convention, and event planners · growth +4.8%
- Public relations specialists · growth +4.8%
- Calibration technologists and technicians · growth +4.7%
- Insulation workers, mechanical · growth +4.7%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 13 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Food science technicians' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Food science technicians side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).