Dairy Scientist Career Profile
- Career Name - Dairy Scientist
- Category - Health / Farming & Livestock Management
- Skills Required - Life skills 40% - Career skills 60%
- Basic School Subjects - Biology, Chemistry, Science
- Minimum Required Education - Bachelor's Degree
- Species Worked With - Farm Animals
- Kind of Interaction with Animals - Direct
Do you want to work as a dairy scientist?
READ: This page helps you to read about the career and the info you need to decide on whether this is indeed the career you want to follow.
RESEARCH: ​Learn about the skills required and minimum subjects to enter this career, as well as the places where you can study further after school.
PREPARE: If you want to plan and prepare for the career, then join the OZT Community! Members have access to tools, while chatting with other students and experts from around the world. Prepare to be amazed!
CAREER MENTOR
UPDATED:
1 April 2024
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What is a dairy scientist?
A dairy scientist is a professional who specialises in the study of dairy farming, milk production, and dairy product processing. Much of this research is concerned with nutrition, reproduction, growth, and the genetics of mainly dairy cows and goats. A dairy scientist may therefore work on all matters related to dairy production, or specialise in specific research.
Alternative Names
Dairy scientists may be known by several alternative names, depending on their specific focus or the context in which they work. Some alternative names for dairy scientists include:
- Dairy technologist
- Dairy researcher
- Dairy specialist
Dairy industry expert - Milk scientist
- Dairy production scientist
- Dairy nutritionist
- Dairy extension specialist
- Dairy farm consultant
- Dairy product development specialist
These alternative names reflect the various aspects of dairy science, such as production, processing, quality control, nutrition, and research, in which dairy scientists may specialize.
Career Categories
The Dairy Scientist career can be found in the following career categories:
- Health
- Farming & Livestock Management
What does a Dairy Scientist do?
Groups of animals a Dairy Scientist works with
What is the level of Interaction with the Animals?
- Directly - A person works directly with the animals with some form of physical contact at least once every few days
- Indirectly - The career doesn't require direct or physical contact at all.
What does a Dairy Scientist focus on?
The primary focus of a dairy scientist is to research ways to help increase milk production and streamline milk processing.
What are the daily tasks of a Dairy Scientist?
- Research best milking machinery
- Oversee proper nutrition for livestock
- Manage milking schedules
- Manage storage and transport of milk
- Research milking quality
- Research livestock genetics and reproduction
- Administration and filing
The working Environment of a Dairy Scientist
Where does a Dairy Scientist work?
Environment –
Dairy scientists mainly work indoors, in a laboratory, or within the areas where the animals are milked.
Places of Employment –
They may be employed by dairy farms, milk processing plants, research laboratories, or government.
What is the average annual salary of a Dairy Scientist?
On average the income per year is around $65,000. This will differ from country to country.
What difficulties can a Dairy Scientist face?
They may work long hours and over weekends and holidays to finish work within tight deadlines.
​Future growth and Possibilities
The career has seen a steady increase over the past few years, with a predicted 5% increase year on year.
Which Skills are required by a Dairy Scientist?
The skills required for a career as a dairy scientist can be divided into two very important groups. The first is the group containing life skills, which are the core skills that are necessary or desirable for full participation in everyday life. The second group is career skills, or the specific skills required to allow a person to enter and operate effectively within a specific career. Some or maybe even all of the life skills can assist in strengthening the career skills, and they might even be the same for specific careers.
Life Skills
- Self-awareness
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Creative thinking
- Decision making
- Problem Solving
- Effective communication
- Interpersonal relationship
Career Skills
- ​Good business knowledge
- Basic customer service skills
- Good health and physical fitness
- Excellent computer literacy
Which Subjects must I have at School to prepare for this career?
Biology must be your main subject and focus, as it will determine your admission into college or university.
Scientists need to understand the use of chemistry in analyzing milk samples
Science will be a good subject to allow you admission into further studies.
The subjects you choose at school are important as they lay the foundation for further studies at college or university. While still at school, it’s also important to learn more about the animals you will work with, as well as gain some experience.
OZT has a list of various tertiary institutions where you can study further, after school. Each of these institutions also have their own Group page on OZT where you will find the exact subjects they require of you to have passed in school. Keep these requirements in mind, and discuss it with your school, guidance counselor and parents to ensure that you are prepared!
What will I need to Study to become a Dairy Scientist?
Minimum Requirements
The minimum qualification for entering this career is a Bachelor’s Degree
Study Focus
Major –
The major subjects will depend on what you want to specialize in, including animal nutrition, milk production, agricultural science, or even veterinary science.
Short Courses –
There are lots of different short courses that will help to develop sjilld and knowledge regarding dairy science, such as those covering animal behaviour and physiology.
Study Duration
The duration of a Bachelor’s Degrees is either 3 or 4 years. Short Courses are usually between a few weeks and a year.
FREE Career Path Plans
If this is your dream career that you want to pursue, then it’s important to plan the way forward.
Why is planning important?
​To ensure that you understand the requirements for your career, and that you are always prepared for the next step on the road towards your dream. A preparation path is like a road map to where you want to be.
Possible Paths:
Here’s a possible career preparation path for a high school student interested in becoming a dairy scientist:
1. Attend Career Guidance Sessions:
Attend career guidance sessions to learn about various career options in dairy science and related fields.
2. Research all of the possible careers:
Conduct research to explore the different career paths within dairy science, such as dairy scientist, dairy technologist, dairy nutritionist, etc.
3. Explore Educational Paths:
Investigate different educational paths, such as undergraduate degrees in dairy science, animal science, biology, or related fields.
4. Align high school subjects with the educational path:
Take relevant high school courses in science, mathematics, and agriculture to prepare for a career in dairy science.
5. Obtain a High School Diploma or Equivalent:
Focus on completing high school and obtaining a diploma or equivalent qualification.
6. Learn about animals that will work with:
Gain knowledge about dairy cattle and other animals commonly involved in dairy farming through research, internships, or extracurricular activities.
7. Align post-school path with either entering a career/job directly, studying further, or starting a business:
Decide whether to pursue further education, enter the workforce directly, or explore entrepreneurship in the dairy industry.
8. Gain experience through volunteering, internship, mentorship, etc.:
Seek out opportunities for hands-on experience through volunteering, internships, or mentorship programmes with dairy farms, research institutions, or dairy companies.
9. Pursue Extracurricular Activities:
Participate in extracurricular activities related to agriculture, science, or leadership to develop relevant skills and experiences.
10. Join Professional Associations:
Consider joining professional associations related to dairy science, such as the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), to network with professionals and stay updated on industry trends.
11. Gain specialised Skills:
Develop specialised skills relevant to dairy science, such as animal nutrition, genetics, milk processing, or quality control, through coursework or hands-on training.
12. Network with Professionals:
Build a network of professionals in the dairy industry through internships, networking events, and professional associations.
13. Enter the job market, finish tertiary studies, or launch a business:
Decide whether to enter the job market with a college degree, pursue further studies at the tertiary level, or start a business in the dairy industry.
14. Stay Updated and Pursue Continuing Education:
Stay updated on advancements in dairy science by pursuing continuing education opportunities, attending conferences, and staying engaged with industry publications and research.
Possible Combined Career Paths
It is possible to sometimes combine two or more related careers. This normally happens when you study and practice a specific main career, but the knowledge and experience gained also help you to have a paying hobby or secondary income career.
Possible Alternatives (there are a lot more):
Training and apprenticeship
Even though it is important to study to get into some of the animal careers, most of the skills you will need as a dairy scientist will be acquired through practice. This means that you will learn how to perform some of the daily tasks by actually doing it a few times and learning the steps.
In some cases entry level positions require training sessions even before you are allowed to actually perform your job duties. These sessions are offered by the place of employment, after you have successfully applied.
Apprenticeship is also possible where you need to learn skills from a more senior scientists or expert.
Join the Dairy Scientists Group in the OZT Community to learn more and even interact with the educational institutions that will help you secure your dream career!
Average level of education of all the people who enter the career
Licenses, Certificate, Registration and Professional Associations
Certain animal careers require some form of legal certification to prove that you can indeed do the work, and work with the necessary equipment.
Although not required by law, certifications may help workers establish their credentials and enhance their skills.
Learn more about requirements by joining the OZT Community.
Professional Associations
- None added yet
Where can I study further?
All of the above information will help you understand more about the Career, including the fact that there are different paths to take to reach it. But if you are almost done with High School (Grades 11 or 12), you also need to start thinking about further studies, and WHERE you will study.
See the List of Universities, Colleges and Online Training Academies who offer courses towards dairy science.
How do I start to prepare for this Career?
If you do decide on following this career, then OZT can assist you in figuring out a path to prepare, as well as help you to gain further knowledge about the career and the animals you will be working with. We do this by offering you FREE career development tools. There are almost a dozen free tools, but these are the three primary ones:
CAREER PATH PLAN
Use the career path plan above on this profile as an example to follow, or to work out your own path.
COST; Free
ACCESS: Open to visitors and MembersÂ
SHORT COURSES
Access easy-to-use short courses to make your career preparation easier! The basic information in each course is free, but the rewards can only be unlocked as an OZT member!
COST; Free
ACCESS: Open to visitors and MembersÂ
STUDY GUIDE
Get a supercharged study guide that fits into the career path plan! Now that's really upping your preparation game! Join us for free to gain access!
COST; Free
ACCESS: Members Only
But, if you are still uncertain about choosing this specific career, and even where to start, then have a look at our special series of WHAT NEXT courses (link below). They take you through all of the questions you might have on how to choose the right career, what to do while at and after school, and even how to start your own business.
Join our OZT community and Dairy Scientist Group
Join us as a special member and learn more about becoming a dairy scientist.
Members of the Platform have special access to:
- Info on the best places where you can study (colleges, universities and online)
- Expertly designed advice to prepare you for the career, and links to places where you can gain valuable experience. For some career experience is necessary, otherwise you wont get the job!
- Top notch info on each of the different species you will work with
- Make friends around the world and share knowledge
- Compete and win points, badges, games, prizes and certificates. Be the best of the best, while you learn and prepare!
If you have decided on being a Dairy Scientist, please click on the JOIN GROUP button. Members will be directed to the Group, while non-members will be assisted to register first.
If this career is NOT the career for you, then you may return to the MAIN CAREERÂ menu, and search for something different.
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