Salary by experience
View as table
| Experience | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 0-2 yrs | CHF 52'612 |
| 3-5 yrs | CHF 53'328 |
| 6-8 yrs | CHF 53'050 |
| 9-11 yrs | CHF 54'000 |
| 12-21 yrs | CHF 57'200 |
| 21+ yrs | CHF 60'374 |
Top HR
Swiss professionsFood
Mitarbeiter/in Forschung und Entwicklung
You develop new food products and optimise production processes in the laboratory.
01 · Overview
What this profession is about
In the laboratory, you test new recipes and processes to prepare them for industrial production.
FieldFood
Education pathSpecialisation / Professional Function
IndustryIndustrial Food Production
Swissdoc 0.210.51.0
02 · Salary
What you can earn
✓ Strong salary match
Salaries reflect Swiss market data. Range covers entry to senior. Salary reference based on Food Salesman. Based on 171 observations, updated 7 months ago.
Salary trend
+2% over decadeView as table
| Period | Salary (CHF) |
|---|---|
| 2014-2016 | CHF 54'650 |
| 2017-2019 | CHF 53'298 |
| 2020-2022 | CHF 51'295 |
| 2023-2025 | CHF 55'750 |
Top earning cantons
View as table
| Canton | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Berne | CHF 55'900 | 13 |
| Zurich | CHF 54'520 | 32 |
| Vaud | CHF 50'591 | 13 |
Top paying industries
View as table
| Industry | Salary | Obs. |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade / Wholesaling | CHF 53'314 | 128 |
| Consumer / Luxury goods industry | CHF 52'300 | 7 |
| Catering / Hotel | CHF 51'600 | 11 |
| Service sector in general | CHF 51'100 | 5 |
03 · Pathway
How to enter and grow
Swiss training pathway available in the full profile
- 🎓 Lebensmitteltechnologe/-technologin EFZ
Official education path
You enter this field through initial vocational training in food technology or comparable specialist training.
Typical training path
Lebensmitteltechnologe/-technologin EFZ
Prerequisites
- Berufliche Grundbildung als Lebensmitteltechnologe/-technologin EFZ
- eventuell Techniker/in HF Lebensmitteltechnologie
Requirements
- Good knowledge of the entire production area
- Joy in trying out and developing
- Clean way of working and a sense of hygiene
Where this can lead
Career changers can enter this field if you have comparable technical or scientific training.
04 · Skills & fit
What it takes
Required skills
- Hygiene awareness
- Enthusiasm for experimentation
- Technical understanding
- Process optimisation
Personality fit
- Swiss career path
- Career transition
- Professional growth
05 · Daily reality
What the work feels like
Typical day
You stand at your lab workstation and check the settings of a test rig. Then you mix a new formula and record the results in the logbook.
- You check machine functions and produce small test batches.
- You develop new processes and test products under different conditions.
- You prepare formulas for large-scale machine production.
- You carry out quality control measures and document the results.
- You analyse production data and optimise workflows in the lab.
- You work closely with production to improve processes.
Working conditions
You mainly work in the laboratories of food manufacturers or production companies. There you manage test rigs and coordinate the development of new processes with specialist departments.
Where to learn
- Föderation der Schweiz. Nahrungsmittel-Industrien FIAL Thunstrasse 82Postfach 1009, 3000 Bern
Strengths
- Hygiene awareness
- Enthusiasm for experimentation
- Technical understanding
- Process optimisation
Trade-offs
- Physical strain
- Compliance with rules
- Repetitive tasks
- Pressure of responsibility
06 · Similar
