Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Food Technologist Assistant

💰 $45,000 - $65,000

Food ScienceResearch & DevelopmentQuality AssuranceLaboratoryManufacturing

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a highly motivated and detail-oriented Food Technologist Assistant to join our innovative Research & Development team. In this pivotal support role, you will be the right hand to our senior Food Technologists, contributing directly to the creation, testing, and refinement of new and existing food products. You will be immersed in a fast-paced lab and pilot plant environment, applying scientific principles to real-world culinary challenges. The ideal candidate is a proactive learner with a passion for food, a strong scientific aptitude, and an unwavering commitment to quality and safety. This is an exceptional opportunity to build a foundational career in the food and beverage industry.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Recent Food Science or related STEM degree graduate
  • Quality Control / Quality Assurance Technician
  • Laboratory Technician (food, chemical, or pharma)
  • Culinary Professional with a scientific interest

Advancement To:

  • Food Technologist / Food Scientist
  • Research & Development (R&D) Specialist
  • Quality Assurance (QA) Supervisor
  • Sensory Scientist

Lateral Moves:

  • Regulatory Affairs Associate
  • Technical Sales Representative (Ingredients)
  • Procurement or Sourcing Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Assist Senior Food Technologists in all stages of the product development lifecycle, from initial concept ideation and benchtop formulation to pilot plant trials and final commercialization.
  • Accurately prepare, weigh, and mix ingredients to create lab-scale prototypes and samples for sensory, analytical, and shelf-life evaluation.
  • Conduct a variety of physical and chemical tests on raw materials, in-process samples, and finished products, such as measuring pH, viscosity, moisture content, water activity (aW), and color.
  • Organize, prepare, and execute sensory evaluation panels, including setting up booths, coding samples, and collecting feedback from panelists to generate actionable data.
  • Diligently document all experimental procedures, observations, and analytical results in laboratory notebooks and digital databases with a high degree of accuracy and integrity.
  • Maintain a clean, safe, and well-organized laboratory environment, ensuring compliance with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) and company safety protocols.
  • Operate, maintain, and calibrate a wide range of laboratory equipment and instrumentation, performing routine checks and troubleshooting minor issues to ensure data reliability.
  • Manage the R&D raw material inventory, including logging new ingredients, monitoring stock levels, ordering supplies, and ensuring proper storage conditions.
  • Prepare and package product samples for internal review, customer presentations, and external testing, ensuring they are correctly labeled and shipped.
  • Support the scale-up process by assisting in pilot plant runs, collecting critical data, and helping to translate benchtop formulations to larger-scale production.
  • Perform comprehensive shelf-life studies by setting up samples under various conditions, conducting periodic evaluations, and documenting any changes in quality over time.
  • Assist in the creation and revision of critical product documentation, including ingredient statements, nutritional information, and finished product specifications.
  • Collaborate with the Quality Assurance team to investigate and resolve product-related issues, providing analytical support and technical insight.
  • Conduct market research and competitor product analysis by sourcing samples and performing sensory and analytical comparisons to identify opportunities for innovation.
  • Participate actively in team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and project updates, contributing ideas and providing clear summaries of your work.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc sample requests from sales, marketing, and executive teams, ensuring timely and accurate fulfillment.
  • Contribute to the organization's food safety culture by participating in GMP audits and HACCP team meetings.
  • Assist in drafting and updating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for laboratory tests and equipment usage.
  • Collaborate with procurement and vendors to request and evaluate new and alternative raw materials for cost savings or quality improvement initiatives.
  • Participate in first production runs at manufacturing facilities, providing on-site support and collecting samples to verify quality and consistency.
  • Maintain and organize the technical library of ingredient specifications, supplier documentation, and regulatory information.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Food Science Fundamentals: Solid understanding of food chemistry, food microbiology, and ingredient functionality.
  • Laboratory Techniques: Proficiency in standard lab procedures, including accurate weighing, pipetting, and solution preparation.
  • Analytical Instrumentation: Hands-on experience with common food analysis equipment (e.g., pH meter, viscometer, water activity meter, colorimeter).
  • Food Safety Principles: Working knowledge of GMP, HACCP, and general food safety and sanitation protocols.
  • Sensory Evaluation: Basic understanding of the principles and methods used in sensory testing of food products.
  • Documentation & Data Entry: Meticulous record-keeping skills and experience with laboratory notebooks and databases.
  • Computer Proficiency: Strong skills in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel for data collection and basic analysis.

Soft Skills

  • Attention to Detail: Exceptional precision and accuracy in all tasks, from measuring ingredients to recording data.
  • Organizational Skills: Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and maintain a well-organized workspace in a fast-paced environment.
  • Problem-Solving: Proactive and logical approach to identifying, troubleshooting, and resolving technical challenges.
  • Collaboration & Teamwork: Ability to work effectively and respectfully with cross-functional team members.
  • Communication Skills: Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills to articulate findings and collaborate with the team.
  • Adaptability & Flexibility: Willingness to adapt to changing project priorities and take on new challenges.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Associate's Degree in a science-related discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Food Science or Food Science and Technology
  • Chemistry or Biochemistry
  • Biology or Microbiology
  • Culinary Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 0-3 years of relevant experience in a food manufacturing, laboratory, or R&D environment.

Preferred:

  • Prior internship or co-op experience within the food and beverage industry is highly desirable.
  • Hands-on experience working in a quality control or research and development laboratory setting.
Explore More Careers