RU

Occupation · 2026 assessment

Food Service Technologist

A Food Service Technologist prepares or evaluates food products and is accountable for process, taste, hygiene and consistency. The assessment separates automation of individual tasks from accountability for the professional outcome.

Moderate risk level Search jobs ↗
How risk may change

A forecast estimate, not a guaranteed scenario.

41%2026
44%2028
48%2030
54%2035

Which tasks are exposed

Risk applies to individual tasks—not to a person or an entire occupation.

TaskRisk
preparing ingredients and workstation59%
following recipes and production steps54%
controlling time and temperature50%
finishing and serving the product45%
hygiene and allergen control39%
adjusting flavour and texture29%
planning stock18%
developing new recipes10%

Task map

AI replaces ↔ AI augments

Each task is positioned by AI capability and the degree of human involvement still required.

  1. 1preparing ingredients and workstationAI 59% · human 73%
  2. 2following recipes and production stepsAI 54% · human 75%
  3. 3controlling time and temperatureAI 50% · human 73%
  4. 4finishing and serving the productAI 45% · human 76%
  5. 5hygiene and allergen controlAI 39% · human 68%
  6. 6adjusting flavour and textureAI 29% · human 74%
  7. 7planning stockAI 18% · human 75%
  8. 8developing new recipesAI 10% · human 83%

Why technology can change this work

  • digital tools reduce preparation and control time
  • full automation is constrained by variable real-world conditions
  • many cases still require professional judgement
  • key information often emerges only through direct work

What protects the occupation

  • physical presence
  • individual client needs
  • on-site result quality

United States · before tax

Average pay and outlook

Estimated nominal monthly pay. The scenario reflects sector, demand and task resilience; it is not a guarantee of income.

2026$4 350per month
2035$5 900scenario estimate
2026: $4 35020262027: $4 50020272028: $4 65020282029: $4 80020292030: $4 95020302031: $5 15020312032: $5 30020322033: $5 50020332034: $5 70020342035: $5 9002035
Find jobs ↗The partner link may contain referral parameters. Data benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ↗

Practical next step

Where to move next

Do not restart from zero: carry your experience forward and add scarce skills.

Plumber

Established resilient role
New role risk10%
DemandMediumDifficultyHighTime12–24 monthsSkill fit56%

Robot Human Factors Specialist

Emerging role
New role risk11%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit64%

AI Adoption Coach

Emerging role
New role risk19%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit66%

Robotics Maintenance Planner

Emerging role
New role risk15%
DemandHighDifficultyMediumTime6–12 monthsSkill fit60%

Domestic Robot Installer

Emerging role
New role risk8%
DemandHighDifficultyLowTime3–6 monthsSkill fit81%

Remote Care Coordinator

Emerging role
New role risk13%
DemandHighDifficultyHighTime3–6 yearsSkill fit38%

Job search and transitions

Find work with a lower risk index

Compare adjacent paths and open a current search for the selected occupation.

Skills you already have

  • food-production techniques
  • hygiene standards
  • workstation organization
  • sensory evaluation
  • equipment operation
  • quality control

Skills to build

  • digital recipe cards
  • food-safety control
  • cost analysis
  • energy-efficient equipment
  • kitchen automation
  • waste management
CurrentFood Service Technologist · 41%
→
Keepfood-production techniques · hygiene standards · workstation organization
→
Adddigital recipe cards · food-safety control · cost analysis

Sources and update

Updated: 2026-09-26 · Assessment confidence: Medium

International Labour Organization · 2025Generative AI and Jobs: A Refined Global Index of Occupational Exposure

Nearly 30,000 tasks; a global assessment of GenAI exposure across detailed occupational groups.

World Economic Forum · 2025The Future of Jobs Report 2025

A survey of more than 1,000 employers representing over 14 million workers across 55 economies.

O*NET Resource Center · 2026O*NET Database

Occupational, task, skill and work-context structure.