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Food Scientists and Technologists in South Dakota

Food Scientists and Technologists in South Dakota

Thinking about a career as a Food Scientists and Technologists in South Dakota? Here’s what you need to know. 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.

What do Food Scientists and Technologists Make in South Dakota?

For food scientists and technologists working in South Dakota, wages run about $68,270 per year (or about $32.82/hour).Earnings range from $41,660 at the 10th percentile to $104,790 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $41,660 $20.03
25th percentile $59,710 $28.71
Median (50th) $68,270 $32.82
75th percentile $80,560 $38.73
90th percentile $104,790 $50.38
Salary ranges for Food Scientists and Technologists in South Dakota

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in South Dakota relative to the national average — is 1.74, meaning that food scientists and technologists are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, food scientists and technologists earn a median of $55,930 per year ($26.89/hour), higher than the South Dakota median.

Food Scientists and Technologists earnings in South Dakota vs. the national average

Employment Outlook

National employment for 79,590 food scientists and technologists nationwide. In South Dakota alone, about 70 people work in this role. That trails the typical state, which employs around 280 food scientists and technologists.

Food Scientists and Technologists in South Dakota vs. the average state Forecasted number of jobs for Food Scientists and Technologists

Top States for Food Scientists and Technologists Employment

View the states that employ the most food scientists and technologists work.

State Number Employed
California 2,350
New Jersey 880
New York 880
Texas 780
Illinois 720
Georgia 680
Missouri 610
Wisconsin 510
Michigan 430
Pennsylvania 430
Iowa 410
Washington 310
Ohio 310
Colorado 310
Kansas 310
Maryland 290
Oregon 280
Indiana 210
Nebraska 210
North Carolina 180

Highest-Paying States for Food Scientists and Technologists

The highest-paying states for food scientists and technologists.

State Annual Median Salary
New Jersey $102,630
District of Columbia $102,500
Missouri $101,570
Alabama $99,170
Massachusetts $99,140
Washington $96,020
New York $95,710
Minnesota $94,360
Florida $92,760
Texas $92,740

Skills

Key food scientists and technologists skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Critical Thinking  4.0 / 5
0
5
Active Learning  4.0 / 5
0
5
Reading Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Science  3.9 / 5
0
5
Writing  3.9 / 5
0
5
Speaking  3.9 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Production and Processing  4.4 / 5
0
5
Food Production  4.1 / 5
0
5
Chemistry  4.0 / 5
0
5
English Language  4.0 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  3.7 / 5
0
5
Engineering and Technology  3.7 / 5
0
5

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for food scientists and technologists, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Problem Sensitivity  4.1 / 5
0
5
Written Expression  4.0 / 5
0
5
Written Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Oral Comprehension  4.0 / 5
0
5
Near Vision  4.0 / 5
0
5
Oral Expression  4.0 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Food Scientists and Technologists typically:

  • Inspect food processing areas to ensure compliance with government regulations and standards for sanitation, safety, quality, and waste management.
  • Check raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing, and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value.
  • Study methods to improve aspects of foods, such as chemical composition, flavor, color, texture, nutritional value, and convenience.
  • Develop food standards and production specifications, safety and sanitary regulations, and waste management and water supply specifications.
  • Stay up to date on new regulations and current events regarding food science by reviewing scientific literature.
  • Study the structure and composition of food or the changes foods undergo in storage and processing.
  • Confer with process engineers, plant operators, flavor experts, and packaging and marketing specialists to resolve problems in product development.
  • Test new products for flavor, texture, color, nutritional content, and adherence to government and industry standards.
  • Develop new food items for production, based on consumer feedback.
  • Develop new or improved ways of preserving, processing, packaging, storing, and delivering foods, using knowledge of chemistry, microbiology, and other sciences.
  • Evaluate food processing and storage operations and assist in the development of quality assurance programs for such operations.
  • Demonstrate products to clients.

Work Activities

  • Documenting/Recording Information
  • Getting Information
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
  • Thinking Creatively
  • Analyzing Data or Information
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
  • Processing Information
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: HubSpot software, Hypertext markup language HTML In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

  • General Agriculture
  • Food Science Technology
  • International Agriculture
  • Culinary Arts

Related occupations to food scientists and technologists include:

Also Known As

Applications Scientist, Corporate Food Scientist, Crop Advisor, Dairy Bacteriologist, Enologist, Fermentation Scientist, Flavorist, Food Engineer, Food Preservation Scientist, Food Processing Scientist, Food Safety Auditor, Food Safety Regulatory Manager, Food Safety Scientist, Food Scientist, Food Technologist.

References

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