Also called: Food Scientist, R&D Chef
Invents and tests new snack foods, cereals, frozen meals, and drinks.
Product developers cook up test batches in kitchen labs, run taste tests, figure out how to make a recipe on a factory scale, and work with marketers on what to launch.
Based on BLS food scientists data.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in food science (Penn State, Cornell, UC Davis, Ohio State, and others offer it).
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Food Science, Chemistry, Culinary Science.
Growing faster than average (about 6% over 10 years).
Medium risk for 10 years. AI tools now suggest recipes, predict shelf life and screen ideas, so fewer test batches and junior roles; scale-up and taste calls stay human.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Biology, Culinary arts or ProStart, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-1012.
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.