Headline risk
6%
Low RiskFood scientists and technologists
AI displacement pressure score for United States AI Work Index, combining global AI task overlap with local wages, employment trends, and demand signals.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Use chemistry, microbiology, engineering, and other sciences to study the principles underlying the processing and deterioration of foods; analyze food content to determine levels of vitamins, fat, sugar, and protein; discover new food sources; research ways to make processed foods safe, palatable, and healthful; and apply food science knowledge to determine best ways to process, package, preserve, store, and distribute food.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 85,310
Employment 2024
15.2K
Projected Change (2024–34)
6.5%
Openings (2024–34)
1.2K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Overall employment of agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management. AI use: 0%
- 2. Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value. AI use: 0%
- 3. Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience. AI use: 0%
- 4. Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications. AI use: 0%
- 5. Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development. AI use: 0%
- 6. Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 41.5 · 274K employed
Under 25: 8% · 25–54: 69% · 55+: 23%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Data quality
Employment data available
Narrative & sources
Agricultural and food scientists research ways to improve the efficiency, quality, and safety of agricultural and food production establishments.
Agricultural and food scientists work in laboratories, in offices, and in the field. Most agricultural and food scientists work full time.
Agricultural and food scientists typically need at least a bachelor’s degree in animal science, food science, plant biology, or a related field. Employers may prefer or require a master’s or doctoral degree.
The median annual wage for agricultural and food scientists was $78,770 in May 2024.
Overall employment of agricultural and food scientists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Important context
This score measures structural AI displacement pressure, not actual job losses. Local wages and demand data are specific to United States AI Work Index; the underlying AI task overlap analysis is consistent across all countries.