食品科学家（Food Scientists），注意与Zoologists区分。前者属于农业学科，研究的是农场动物的养殖及其产品的加工等；后者属于生物学科，研究的是所有动物（主要是野生动物）的生态、生理、习性、分类、保护等。
职业介绍
食品科学家的主要工作内容包括：
- 使用化学、微生物学、工程学的方法研究食品加工、处理及其变质的过程；
- 分析及确定食品的营养成份及含量，如维生素、脂肪、糖分、蛋白质等；
- 发掘及开发新型食品及食品源；
- 研究更安全、更健康和有效的食品加工方法；
- 应用食品科学的知识寻找食品加工、打包、保质、存储及运输的最佳方法。*(1)
要成为一名食品科学家，一般需具备学士以上学历，食品工程、食品科学或其它相关农学专业毕业，不需要有相关的注册认证。*(4)
技能与品质
动物学家的重要技能与品质：
- 沟通能力（Communication skills）
- 批判性思维能力（Critical-thinking skills）
- 数据分析能力（Data-analysis skills）
- 决策能力（Decision-making skills）
- 观察能力（Observation skills）*(4)
就业展望与薪资
2015年
美国从业人数最多州（前五）：
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| California | 2,200 | 0.14 | 1.33 | $36.22 | $75,340 |
| Minnesota | 1,570 | 0.57 | 5.34 | $39.30 | $81,740 |
| New Jersey | 1,010 | 0.26 | 2.43 | $37.65 | $78,310.00 |
| Georgia | 670 | 0.16 | 1.53 | $28.72 | $59,750 |
| Wisconsin | 610 | 0.22 | 2.08 | $31.54 | $65,600.00 |
*(1)
美国产业最集中州（前五）：
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Minnesota | 1,570 | 0.57 | 5.34 | $39.30 | $81,740 |
| Vermont | 120 | 0.38 | 3.56 | $33.07 | $68,780 |
| Idaho | 220 | 0.34 | 3.17 | $29.52 | $61,400.00 |
| New Jersey | 1,010 | 0.26 | 2.43 | $37.65 | $78,310 |
| Arkansas | 300 | 0.26 | 2.43 | $33.06 | $68,760.00 |
*(1)
美国从业人数最多都会区：
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 720 | 0.11 | 1.05 | $38.71 | $80,530 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 540 | 0.22 | 2.04 | $28.68 | $59,660 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 500 | 0.12 | 1.14 | $34.65 | $72,070 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 300 | 0.08 | 0.79 | $32.29 | $67,160 |
| Newark, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division | 270 | 0.24 | 2.22 | $39.24 | $81,620 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 270 | 0.26 | 2.43 | $28.56 | $59,400 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 250 | 0.11 | 1.03 | $37.08 | $77,130 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 250 | 0.29 | 2.7 | $30.75 | $63,960 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 240 | 0.24 | 2.21 | $51.50 | $107,110 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | 210 | 0.21 | 1.99 | $26.08 | $54,260 |
*(1)
美国产业业最集中都会区：
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ | 70 | 1.13 | 10.58 | $28.68 | $59,660 |
| Merced, CA | 60 | 0.91 | 8.53 | $30.18 | $62,770 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 170 | 0.75 | 7.04 | $33.15 | $68,950 |
| Napa, CA | 40 | 0.56 | 5.28 | $40.11 | $83,430 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 40 | 0.52 | 4.85 | $26.30 | $54,710 |
| Modesto, CA | 80 | 0.48 | 4.56 | $33.30 | $69,270 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 50 | 0.44 | 4.13 | $37.31 | $77,600 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | 60 | 0.43 | 4.03 | $25.19 | $52,390 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 60 | 0.42 | 3.98 | $37.07 | $77,110 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 50 | 0.4 | 3.8 | $28.68 | $59,660 |
*(1)
注：
(1) Location quotient ：产业集中指数，其数值是该州该产业的从业人数的比重与全美平均水准的比值，大于1代表该州该职业每千人从业人数比例高于全美平均水平，反之，小于1则代表其低于全美平均水平。公式：（Employment per thousand jobs）/[Σ（Employment per thousand jobs）/50]
(2) 以上四表均是2015年5月美国劳工统计局公布的数据。
参考资料：
(1) Food Scientists and Technologists US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(2) Agricultural and Food Scientists-Summary US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(3) Agricultural and Food Scientists-Job Outlook US Bureau of Labor Statistics
(4) Agricultural and Food Scientists- How to Become an Agricultural or Food Scientist US Bureau of Labor Statistics