Food Science Jobs | Animal Scientist Job | Agricultural Scientist Jobs
Animal Scientist Career - What is the Job of a Food Scientist? What is a Agricultural Scientist?
Agricultural and food scientists are responsible for ensuring that the nation’s agricultural productivity remains high, and that food products are safe. Agricultural scientists will study farm crops and animals in order to find ways to improve their quality and quantity. Food technologist jobs will also try to find ways to turn agriculture products into healthy food products for you and me.
Agricultural scientists are also responsible for investigating the properties of ethanol, and how it can be used to help meet America’s fuel needs, and food scientists are also responsible for finding ways to control pests safely and to conserve topsoil and water.
The fastest growing field in agricultural science is biotechnology, which involves the genetic manipulation of plans in order to produce frankenstein foods, with much higher yields in natural resistance to pests.
Another fast growing field in agricultural technology is nanotechnology, which is an advanced manufacturing technology that protects food products for contamination and spoilage, better protecting the end consumer. With the advent of mad cow disease and swine flu, these food technologies will become ever increasingly important in protecting the nation’s food security.
There are many areas of specialization for agricultural and food scientist jobs, and here are a few of them.
Food scientists and food technologists usually work in the food processing industry or for governments in order to improve food products. Food science technologists use their knowledge of scientific methods to find better ways to preserve and store food.
Other food scientists may analyze crops in order to determine the levels of sugars, proteins, vitamins and other nutrients, in order to develop more healthy crop foods with increased nutritional value. Food scientists are also responsible for enforcing government regulations by inspecting food processing plants in maintaining sanitation and quality of food products, water, and topsoil.
Plant scientists are a subset of food technologists who researched new properties of plant crops in order to conserve natural resources and support a growing population on less land.
Agronomists jobs also involve studying ways to improve the nutritional value of crops, and study the breeding and management of crops, sometimes using genetic engineering to make vegetables and fruits more immune to disease and pests.
Soil science jobs are responsible for maintaining the quality of the six inches of life giving topsoil that all of humanity lives off of. The main soil scientist career is typically working for the Federal government in order to classify and map soils. Due to the increased deterioration of topsoil due to poor farming techniques, it falls to the soil scientist to find new ways to teach agribusiness how to maintain their soil and improve its quality.
Animal scientists are responsible for increasing the production and yield of products such as milk, meat, and aches. Animal breeders and poultry scientists study the genetics, reproduction, and growth patterns of most farm animals such as chickens, cattle, ducks, and other animals.
Animal scientists are also sometimes responsible for grading livestock products. Animal scientist jobs may also advise producers on how to maintain a clean environment for the animals in order to meet Federal regulations.
Working Conditions for Food Science Jobs - How is the Working Environment for Agricultural Scientists?
Agriculture scientists work in offices in laboratories applying new techniques to increase crop yield. With the advent of biotechnology, the work of the agricultural scientists is increasingly involving splicing genomes and artificially creating enhanced animals and crops.
Agricultural work varies, and usually requires a great deal of hands on experience as well. An animal scientist will usually have to spend their time at dairy’s working with animals, while food scientists may work for a large commercial food processor, in order to maintain quality assurance standards.
Soil scientists will usually work in agricultural research centers.
Most of these professions enjoyed a 40 hour workweek with little over time and low stress.
Agricultural Scientist Education - Train to Become a Soil Science Expert - How to Receive Your Education as a Animal Scientist
As there are many specialties of agricultural science, sometimes a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science is good enough to get a job in this field. If an aspiring agricultural scientist wishes to become a soil scientist, they will usually need a Ph.D. in agricultural science, as most of the work involved is extensive research and requires a highly analytical and trained mind.
On the other hand, someone working in a food scientist job for a Tysons chicken factory, conducting safety inspections and managing the cleanliness of the chicken product, will usually only need a bachelor’s degree.
A job in agricultural science usually requires classes in communication, economics, business, and mathematics, as well as various life science courses. In addition, there are a number of specialty science courses such as animal breeding, nutrition, and meats.
Graduate students will further specialize into subsets such as animal breeding and genetics or crop science. In addition, there’s a growing field in nano and biotechnology, which requires a strong background in microbiology, organic chemistry, and molecular biology.
Plant Science Certification - How to Become Certified as a Agricultural Scientist
The American Society of Agronomy certifies agronomists, while the Social Science Society of America certifies social scientists. In order to become certified in agronomy, a bachelor’s degree and five years of experience is needed, while those specializing in soil science will need a bachelor’s degree in soil science and five years experience to become certified.
Outlook for Food Technologists Jobs - What is the Future of Food Science Technology?
Food technology employment for those working in the fields of agricultural and food science should grow by about 9% in the next decade. As insects and diseases adapt to the innovations in crop technology that occurred decades ago, agricultural scientists will be needed in order to maintain the production rate of crops.
In addition, the world food stockpiles are at an all time low, as shoddy farming practices and population growth have depleted the soil, which has led to a need for those skilled in increasing crop yield. Shortages of water and damaged ecosystems are an increasing concern in today’s environment, and the job of agricultural scientists will address these problems in the future.
Biotechnology jobs are a booming field in order to increase crop yield and eliminate pasts, which should also increase demand for plant in agricultural scientists.
For those who have a master’s degree in agricultural or food science, research positions in laboratories are economic proof, especially those offered by the Federal government.
Food Scientist Pay Scale - How Much Do Agricultural Scientists Earn?
Agricultural scientists earned an average of $53,810 in 2006, while those working for the government made $91,491 if they specialized in animal science. The reason for the higher rate of pay in government is that most government applicants are specializing in highly technical research and have master’s or doctorate degrees.
In 2007, the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that food science graduates start out an animal sciences at $35,035 a year, while plant scientists are touted $31,291 a year. All other agricultural scientist earned an average of $37,908 a year for entry level positions.