Food technologist vs senior chemist

The differences between food technologists and senior chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior chemist has an average salary of $91,008, which is higher than the $62,229 average annual salary of a food technologist.

The top three skills for a food technologist include food safety, food preparation and regulatory compliance. The most important skills for a senior chemist are method development, laboratory equipment, and HPLC.

Food technologist vs senior chemist overview

	Food Technologist	Senior Chemist
Yearly salary	$62,229	$91,008
Hourly rate	$29.92	$43.75
Growth rate	8%	6%
Number of jobs	103,677	12,823
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	40	42
Years of experience	4	-

What does a food technologist do?

A food technologist is responsible for developing safe and healthy food products, managing convenient food manufacturing processes, and ensuring that the procedures adhere to internal guidelines and state regulations. Food technologists identify ways to improve food preservation methods, as well as strategizing in consumer-friendly packaging and distribution processes. They also research the current food trends and technology advancements according to public demands that would generate more revenue resources and increase the business' profits. A food technologist studies the product's reviews and analyzes techniques for more efficient product preparation.

What does a senior chemist do?

Senior Chemists are responsible for designing, developing, and testing formulations and compounds. They also maintain and troubleshoot laboratory equipment and relevant documentation.

Food technologist vs senior chemist salary

Food technologists and senior chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Technologist	Senior Chemist
Average salary	$62,229	$91,008
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $98,000	Between $67,000 And $123,000
Highest paying City	Chicago, IL	Fremont, CA
Highest paying state	New York	Vermont
Best paying company	LexisNexis Reed Tech	Google
Best paying industry	Health Care	Manufacturing

Differences between food technologist and senior chemist education

There are a few differences between a food technologist and a senior chemist in terms of educational background:

	Food Technologist	Senior Chemist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Food Science	Chemistry
Most common college	Cornell University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Food technologist vs senior chemist demographics

Here are the differences between food technologists' and senior chemists' demographics:

	Food Technologist	Senior Chemist
Average age	40	42
Gender ratio	Male, 45.1% Female, 54.9%	Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.1% Asian, 12.0% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 22.3% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	19%	5%

Differences between food technologist and senior chemist duties and responsibilities

Food technologist example responsibilities.

Develop and process data and presentations and manage technical documents for FDA & USDA.
Organize schedules for employees and set payroll -Provide direction and solve employee problems -Be extremely personable & manage stock control
Train and supervise employees GMP and GHP.
Create process controls and preventative actions through HACCP system/principles.
Prepare and package foods according to USDA standards for consumer consumption
Maintain up to date knowledge of USDA regulations, policies and appropriate product technology.

Senior chemist example responsibilities.

Manage an analytical laboratory, which include SEM-EDS, GC-MS, GPC, FT-IR, ICP-MS, TGA and DSC equipment.
Conduct GC-MS, TGA, and FTIR, UV/Vis spectroscopic analysis of extractables and elemental impurities.
Develop Simethicone assay method by FT-IR in liquid dosage.
Used EPA methods for actinide, technetium, strontium, and tritium determination.
Prepare submission documentation, including CMC sections, for IDE and PMA submissions.
Supervise mobile lab team of analysts at various EPA super fund site locations for PCB and halo-hydrocarbons analysis testing.

Food technologist vs senior chemist skills

Common food technologist skills

Food Safety, 16%
Food Preparation, 8%
Regulatory Compliance, 5%
Cleanliness, 4%
Safety Standards, 4%
Laboratory Equipment, 4%

Common senior chemist skills

Method Development, 8%
Laboratory Equipment, 6%
HPLC, 5%
Analytical Methods, 5%
R, 4%
GMP, 4%

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Food Technologist vs Senior Chemist

Updated January 8, 2025

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