Also called: Donor Milk Bank Technician, Milk Processing Technician
Pasteurizes and tests breast milk donated by mothers so it can safely feed premature babies in NICUs.
Unpacks frozen milk shipped by donor moms, thaws and pools it, then runs the pasteurizer and takes samples for bacteria testing. You label bottles, track every batch and ship them on dry ice to hospitals. The work feels like a small, very clean food plant.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0.25 years after high school. High school or some college; trained on the job in food safety and lab procedures.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing faster than average. Donor milk use in NICUs keeps growing.
Low risk for 10 years. Machines pasteurize, but handling, testing and careful tracking stay hands-on.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply at nonprofit milk banks or through a staffing agency; new hires are trained on the job
Classes: Biology, Chemistry, Food science or culinary CTE.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.