| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Agriculture and Food Processing |
| Level | Mid level |
| Reports to | Food Plant Operations Manager |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in food product or process development |
Food Technologist job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Food Technologist
Department: Agriculture and Food Processing
Reports to: Food Plant Operations Manager
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Food Technologist develops food products and improves processes, working on recipes, shelf life and quality in a food processing company. The role reports to the quality or research and development head. A good food technologist turns ideas into products that taste right, keep well and can be made on the line, improves existing products and processes, sets and checks quality parameters, runs trials and scale ups, keeps formulations and specifications in order, and bridges the gap between the kitchen idea and safe, consistent factory production.
Key responsibilities
- Develop new food products from concept through recipe, trials and launch.
- Improve existing products and processes for quality, cost and shelf life.
- Set product specifications and quality parameters for the production line to follow.
- Run bench and pilot trials and scale recipes up to the line.
- Test and improve shelf life, packaging and stability of products.
- Work with production to make new products consistently on the line.
- Source and evaluate ingredients and their effect on the product.
- Support quality and food safety with technical product knowledge.
- Keep formulations, trial records and specifications in order for every product.
- Keep up with food technology, new ingredients and food regulations.
Requirements
- Degree in food technology or food science
- Knowledge of food processing and preservation
- Training in product development is an advantage
- 2 to 5 years in food product or process development
KRAs and KPIs for a Food Technologist
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Product development | New products developed and launched against the agreed plan |
| Process improvement | Process and cost improvements delivered against target |
| Shelf life | Products meeting the target shelf life above the agreed level |
| Quality parameters | Products meeting set quality parameters above the agreed level |
| Scale up success | Trials scaled to the line successfully above the agreed level |
| Documentation | Formulations and specifications kept accurate and current |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Pilot plant equipment, Sensory and testing tools, MS Excel, Formulation records, Shelf life study tools.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: R&D Manager, Quality Manager, Food Plant Operations Manager
Interview questions for a Food Technologist
- How do you take a product from a recipe to the factory line?
- How do you improve the shelf life of a product?
- How do you scale a bench recipe up without losing quality?
- How do you set quality parameters for a new product?
- How do you choose ingredients for taste, cost and stability?
- How do you work with production to make a new product consistently?
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What does a Food Technologist do?
A Food Technologist develops food products and improves processes, working on recipes, shelf life and quality. They take products from concept to the line, improve existing ones, set quality parameters, run trials and scale ups, and bridge the gap between a kitchen idea and safe, consistent factory production.
What is the difference between a Food Technologist and a Food Safety Officer?
A Food Technologist develops and improves products and processes, focusing on recipe, shelf life and quality. A Food Safety Officer focuses on hygiene, food safety systems and compliance. The technologist creates and improves the product; the food safety officer makes sure it is produced safely and legally.
What qualifications does a Food Technologist need?
Most roles ask for a degree in food technology or food science with knowledge of food processing and preservation, and training in product development helps. Employers value recipe formulation, shelf life and process scale up skills, plus the ability to turn a product idea into consistent factory production.