How to Write a Great Food Scientist Resume (With Example)

Updated 9 February 2023

Food scientists are experts who perform research to develop new ways of processing and packaging food products, improve current food handling processes and create innovative appliances required for preparing, storing and transporting food safely and efficiently. Getting a job as a food scientist requires writing role-specific resumes that show hiring managers you have the training, skills and experience to perform their job duties effectively and thrive in their work environment. Learning how to write a compelling resume for a food scientist role can help you market your core credentials and impress employers enough to consider your application.

In this article, we define what a food scientist resume is, describe how to write one and provide a template and an example you can use for inspiration when creating your own.

What is a food scientist resume?

A food scientist resume shows a hiring manager the skills, experience, training and qualities that qualify you for the role. The document is vital for connecting your qualifications with the specific requirements of a food scientist position. A well-written resume not only shows employers you have the academic qualifications and industry skills to excel in their role, it can also demonstrate you're a good fit for their organisational culture and team dynamics.

To use a resume to convey your core strengths to employers, it's important to know the information to include in the document and understand how to structure it so that the hiring manager reads and considers your application.

How to write a food scientist resume

Here are steps you can follow when writing a resume for a food scientist role:

1. Review the job ad

The first step when writing a resume for any role is to review the job ad. Most employers typically include all the information candidates require to apply for their role in the job description, including the specific number of industry experience, academic qualifications, technical skills and personal attributes. They also include details of the job function, such as the job title, duties and responsibilities, work environment and the company's culture.

If the job ad is lacking these vital details, the employer is likely going to provide a link to their career website or social media handle where candidates can find more information to help them prepare properly for the job application. It's essential to do your background research about a food scientist job and the employer so you know whether you qualify for the role and what to include in your resume. Reviewing the job ad and learning about the company can also help you determine whether it's an ideal workplace before you even start drafting a resume.

2. Provide your contact details

The first part of a resume is the header, which contains your full name and contact information. Write your name in full using large bold fonts to make them highly visible and memorable. If you have a professional title, you can place it beside your name to distinguish yourself from less qualified candidates. Include your phone number and email address. Ensure the phone number and email address are working so you don't miss any message from the employer.

It's important that you use a professional email address, preferably one that includes your full name. You can also include links to your professional social media handles in this section, as they increase the channels for the employer to reach you or check your background.

3. Create a professional summary section

The next step is to write a detailed professional summary that highlights your major qualifications as a food scientist. A great professional summary comprises two to three concise and direct sentences that highlight your most relevant skills, experience, education and achievements that make you the ideal candidate for an employer's position. The section can also mention the position you're applying for, the employer's name and your career objectives if hired. Use this section to attract the interest of the hiring manager and encourage them to read the rest of your resume.

4. Outline your work experience

A resume requires an experience section where you outline your work history, including your job duties and responsibilities from previous roles and professional accomplishments. Use the reverse-chronological format to list your work history from the most recent to the oldest. When highlighting previous roles, include the job title, employer's name and duration of employment. List your work duties and achievements in three to five bullet points, starting each one with an action verb to make it interesting and impactful. Support your claims with figures and real-life examples and include keywords from the job ad in the descriptions.

5. Mention your education

It's important to highlight your education on your resume, as it's a critical factor in determining you're a good fit for the role. Employers require candidates to have at least a bachelor's degree in food science and technology, nutrition and dietetics, microbiology and related disciplines. Senior roles might require having a master's degree or even a doctorate. When listing your education, start from the most recent and highest to the oldest and lowest. Mention the degree and major, the awarding institution and the year of graduation. If you lack experience, you can include relevant coursework, your GPA, academic awards and honours.

6. Highlight your skills

Working as a food scientist requires in-depth knowledge of the scientific methods of research and innovation. It's vital for your resume to showcase your ability to use laboratory equipment, conduct experiments and maintain health and safety guidelines while working with chemical reagents. Besides scientific and technical skills, the job also requires excellent communication skills, especially writing.

It's also important to be able to work as part of a team, possess problem-solving skills and have the patience and discipline to follow through on long-term research and development programmes. When listing skills, ensure they apply to the specific requirements of the role. You can check the job description to identify the competencies to include on the resume, but add only the ones you have and can use if hired.

7. Proofread and edit your resume

After drafting your resume, proofread and edit the document to ensure it's free of grammar and spelling errors. Go through the resume and verify all dates, names, figures, locations and claims. Ensure the document is easy to read and scan by using subheadings, bold text and lists to break the text into small sections.

Use an acceptable font style, such as Georgia or Helvetica and font sizes ten to 12. Allow for one-inch margins on all sides to improve the neatness and legibility of the document. Before sending the resume, you can ask an experienced person to help you review it and recommend ways to improve it.

Food scientist resume template

Here's a template you can use to write a food scientist resume:

[First name] [Last name], [Degree or certification, if applicable]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City]

Professional Summary
[Two to three sentences that highlight years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional.]

Experience
[Job Title] | [Employment dates] [Company Name] | [City]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantifiable results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates] [Company Name] | [City]

(Strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantifiable results.
[Job duty]
[Job duty]

Education
[Degree and major], [Name of school or university]

Optional
[Certification name], [Host organisation] - [Year completed or expiration date]

Example of food scientist's resume

Here's an example of a food scientist resume you can use for inspiration when drafting your own:

Elizabeth Zhao
+65 8855 8566 | elizabethzhao@email.com | Singapore

Professional Summary
Enthusiastic food scientist with over four years of experience in formulating new flavours and packaging for food products. Possesses advanced data analysis and laboratory technology skills and excels in translating research findings into improved products and processes. Looking to use my knowledge of developing innovative food packaging solutions to improve the efficiency of your product development unit.

Experience
Food Scientist | December 2018–Current
Benji Biscuits | Singapore

lead a unit of ten food scientists and materials engineers to create durable, lightweight and cost-effective non-plastic packaging solutions for confectionery products
collaborate with the product development unit and marketing department to develop and design the requirements for food packaging to meet regulatory and customer expectations
coordinate the testing and analysis of new materials and food samples in the laboratory
use specialised software to record, analyse, interpret and summarise research data
analyse the chemical composition of food nutrients to test their reaction with packaging materials and evaluate shelf life and changes in flavour

Education
Bachelor of Food Science Technology, Orchard University of Technology

The model shown is for illustration purposes only, and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.