Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists

ANZSCO ID 2342

Overview

Snapshot

Employed
11,000
Future Growth
0.4%
Weekly Earnings
$2,356
Full-Time Share
80%
Female Share
40%
Average age
41

Summary

Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists study the chemical and physical properties of substances, develop and monitor chemical processes and production, develop new and improve existing food products, and plan and coordinate the production of wine and spirits.

Tasks

  • conducting experiments and tests to identify the chemical composition and reactive properties of natural substances and processed materials

  • analysing and conducting research to develop theories, techniques and processes, and testing the reliability of outcomes under different conditions

  • developing practical applications of experimental and research findings

  • testing food products for flavour, colour, taste, texture and nutritional content

  • advising on preserving, processing, packaging, storing and delivering foods

  • developing quality control procedures and safety standards for the manufacture of food products

  • examining grape samples to assess ripeness, sugar and acid content, and determining suitability for processing

  • coordinating winemaking processes, directing workers in testing and crushing grapes, fermenting juices, and fortifying, clarifying, maturing and finishing wines

  • blending wines according to formulae and knowledge of winemaking techniques

Characteristics

Job Type
Professionals
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
Unemployment Rate
Below average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
Interests
  • Practical
  • Analytical
Physical Demand
  • Light
  • Medium

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers in this occupation is likely to remain stable.

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
0.4%
(or 100 jobs)
From
14,900
in 2021
To
15,000
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 8,000
2012 13,300
2013 8,600
2014 11,400
2015 8,200
2016 9,500
2017 8,300
2018 8,500
2019 11,200
2020 8,800
2021 14,900
2026 15,000

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.


Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 83% of people employed as Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 17 percentage points above the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 43 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $2,356 per week, this is much higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,828
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $2,502

    Median hourly earnings are $62, this is much more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 2,356 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.


Industries

Main industries

1
Manufacturing
54.2%
2
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
16.1%
3
Retail Trade
7.6%
4
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
5.1%
5
Other industries
17.8%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

27.6% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

33.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

12.0% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

13.3% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

10.5% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

1.8% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.4% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.3% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists All Jobs Average
NSW 27.6 31.6
VIC 33.2 25.6
QLD 12.0 20.0
SA 13.3 7.0
WA 10.5 10.8
TAS 1.8 2.0
NT 0.4 1.0
ACT 1.3 1.9


  • Around 66% of Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    Victoria and South Australia have a large share of employment relative to their population size.

    The region with the largest share of workers is Adelaide - South.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
41
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
40%
All Jobs Average is 48%
  • The median age of Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists is 41 years. This is similar to the all jobs average of 40 years.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 40% of the workforce. This is 8 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists All Jobs Average
15-19 1.4 5.0
20-24 4.4 9.3
25-34 27.6 22.9
35-44 27.0 22.0
45-54 21.1 21.6
55-59 8.2 9.0
60-64 5.3 6.0
65 and Over 5.0 4.2
Median Age 41 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.


Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A bachelor degree in a relevant field is needed to work as a Chemist or Food or Wine Scientist. Some workers have a postgraduate qualification.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Laboratory Operations and Food Processing VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 24.1 10.1
Bachelor degree 56.6 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 6.8 11.6
Certificate III/IV 3.0 21.1
Year 12 7.0 18.1
Year 11 1.0 4.8
Year 10 and below 1.5 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.


Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Chemists, and Food and Wine Scientists who can communicate clearly, work well in a team and have strong interpersonal skills.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 73%

    Science

    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • 71%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 68%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 63%

    Mathematics

    Using maths to solve problems.

  • 59%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 59%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 57%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 57%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 54%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 54%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 52%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 48%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 46%

    Quality control analysis

    Doing tests and checking products, services, or processes to make sure they are working properly.

  • 46%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

  • 45%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 45%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 45%

    Operation monitoring

    Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

  • 45%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 41%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 37%

    Equipment maintenance

    Maintaining equipment and deciding what maintenance will be needed in the future.


Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 87%

    Chemistry

    Chemical composition, structure, and properties. How chemicals are made, used, mixed, and can change.

  • 68%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 55%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 55%

    Engineering and technology

    Use engineering, science and technology to design and produce goods and services.

  • 54%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 53%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 51%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 51%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 48%

    Mechanical

    Machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

  • 47%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 39%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 37%

    Physics

    The physical laws of matter, motion and energy, and how they interact through space and time.

  • 35%

    Public safety and security

    Use of equipment, rules and ideas to protect people, data, property, and institutions.

  • 35%

    Law and government

    How our laws and courts work. Government rules and regulations, and the political system.

  • 34%

    Biology

    Plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, how they rely on and work with each other and the environment.

  • 28%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 25%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 21%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

  • 20%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 18%

    Economics and accounting

    Economics and accounting, the financial markets, banking and checking and reporting of financial data.


Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 73%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 70%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 70%

    Written comprehension

    Read and understand written information.

  • 64%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 64%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 64%

    Written expression

    Write in a way that people can understand.

  • 61%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 59%

    Mathematics

    Choose the right maths method or formula to solve a problem.

  • 59%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 59%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 59%

    Working with numbers

    Add, subtract, multiply, or divide.

  • 57%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 55%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 54%

    Colour discrimination

    Notice differences between colours, including shades of colour and brightness.

  • 50%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 50%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

  • 48%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 45%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 45%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 43%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.


Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 77%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 74%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 69%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 69%

    Documenting or recording information

    Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

  • 69%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

  • 68%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 68%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 67%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 66%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 66%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 65%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 64%

    Checking for errors or defects

    Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials for errors, problems or defects.

  • 64%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 64%

    Working with computers

    Using computers to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

  • 63%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 59%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 57%

    Training and teaching others

    Understanding the needs of others, developing training programs, and teaching or instructing.

  • 55%

    Controlling equipment or machines

    Operating machines or processes either directly or using controls (not including computers or vehicles).

  • 55%

    Working with electronic equipment

    Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing electronic devices and equipment.

  • 50%

    Estimating amounts, costs and resources

    Working out sizes, distances, amounts, time, costs, resources, or materials needed for a task.


Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 100%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 57%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 48%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

  • 29%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 29%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 14%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.


Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.
  • 81%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 76%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 74%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 71%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 67%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

  • 43%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.


Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:
  • 98%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 98%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 94%

    Wear common protective or safety equipment

    Wear equipment like safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets.

  • 93%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 92%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 88%

    Dangerous conditions

    Work near dangers like high voltage electricity, flammable material, explosives or chemicals.

  • 84%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 84%

    Telephone

    Talk on the telephone.

  • 82%

    Exposure to contaminants

    Be exposed to pollutants, gases, dust or odours.

  • 81%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

  • 80%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 80%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 78%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 77%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 75%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 74%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 69%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 69%

    Health and safety of others

    Take responsibility for the health and safety of others.

  • 67%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 67%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 19-2031.00 - Chemists.


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