How to hire a food science technician

How to hire a food science technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step food science technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a food science technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new food science technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The food science technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect food science technician also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of food science technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Food Science Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Food Science Technician	Agricultural and food science technicians assist agricultural and food scientists by performing duties such as measuring and analyzing the quality of food and agricultural products.	$12-23
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27
   Biological Science Technician	A biological science technician is responsible for supporting scientists in conducting laboratory experiments and examinations. Biological science technicians perform data analysis procedures, evaluate findings, and create data reports... Show more	$12-22

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Food Safety
   • Product Quality
   • Sensory Evaluation
   • Culinary
   • Lab Equipment
   • Analytical Results
   • Quantitative Tests
   • Plant Trials
   • Production Technology

   Responsibilities:

   • Develop and process data and presentations and manage technical documents for FDA & USDA.
   • Inspect plant for microbiological contamination and drive cleaning/resolution to improve public safety and company image.
   • Used Autocad for topographic/bathymetric cross-sections.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your food science technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A food science technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, food science technicians' average salary in wyoming is 43% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level food science technicians earn 44% less than senior-level food science technicians.
   • Certifications. A food science technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a food science technician's salary.

   Average food science technician salary

   $36,799yearly

   $17.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level food science technician salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 6, 2025

   Average food science technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$45,902	$22
   2	New Jersey	$41,474	$20
   3	New York	$41,441	$20
   4	Texas	$35,444	$17
   5	Pennsylvania	$33,992	$16
   6	Minnesota	$31,208	$15
   7	Florida	$29,520	$14

   Average food science technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Echo Lake Foods	$45,379	$21.82
   2	Mérieux NutriSciences	$42,868	$20.61	2
   3	Sucocítrico Cutrale	$38,272	$18.40
   4	Kelly Services	$35,636	$17.13	45
   5	Southeastern Grocers	$34,183	$16.43	2
   6	University of Arkansas	$26,922	$12.94	12

4. Writing a food science technician job description

   A job description for a food science technician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a food science technician job description:

   Food science technician job description example

   PeopleReady of Clearwater, FL is now hiring Food Science Technicians! We are currently hiring for a R&D-Food Science technician thelp grow the company with new innovative products. This role will report tthe Senior Innovation-R&D Manager. You will support driving the R&D, product development, and pilot processes from ideation tformulation, tscale-up.
   
   Apply today and you could start as soon as tomorrow. Nresume or interview required – yep, you read that right.
   As a PeopleReady associate you'll benefit from:
   
   * The freedom twork where you want, when you want and as often as you want.
   
   * Next-day pay* for many of our open positions.
   
   * The ability tchoose long-term positions for steady work or short-term positions if you just want some extra cash.
   
   * The ability tsign up for jobs right from our mobile app, JobStack!
   
   Pay Rate:
   
   The pay rate for this job is $17 - $23 / hour
   
   What you'll be doing as a Food Science Technician:
   
   * This person must be trainable and able tlearn quickly, but alssomeone whdoes not mind accountability and holding the bag for moving a product line tsuccessful completion.
   
   * Ideal for someone interested in being a part of a team that is out tchange an industry
   
   Available shifts:
   
   Shift Timing - 1st Shift (Day)
   
   Job requirements:
   
   * Coachable and a quick learner
   
   * Good problem solver
   
   * Possess a strong commitment tsafety and environmental issues with a willingness tadhere tall plant safety and health rules, procedures and guidelines
   
   * Solid verbal and written communication skills
   
   * Organized, self-motivated, proactive and results-oriented with the ability tmultitask
   
   * Possess strong problem-solving and troubleshooting skills, as well as work with attention tdetail
   
   * Food science background a plus
   
   * 1+ years of experience in a lab-manufacturing setting a plus
   
   * Lift up t30 lbs. and stand for long periods of time
   
   * Drug screen required
   
   * Background Check Required
   
   Ready ttake control of the way you work?
   
   Complete our application tjoin the PeopleReady team today. In case you missed it, nresumes or interviews are required!
   
   \#TIER1
   
   PeopleReady is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religious affiliation, color, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by law. We will get to know you and connect you with jobs that match your skills, experience and preferences. We work hard every single day to find jobs so each employee has opportunity and variety in their work.

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5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right food science technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your food science technician job on Zippia to find and recruit food science technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit food science technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new food science technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the food science technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new food science technician first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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