What opportunities are available in the Food industry for those who are interested in pursuing a STEM career? 

Food and drink have become a global industry with many positive aspects - access, affordability, variety. Yet, we are faced with challenges: 
▸ Climate change throws up huge problems for food 
production 
▸ Soon there may not be enough food to feed a growing 
population 
▸ Deliberate food fraud is a growing crime

For as long as the growing population needs to eat and drink, there will always be a global demand and we’ll need to keep improving our technology. To meet future challenges of food 
security and climate change, we’ll be using more innovative and automated technologies and need students who have a STEM background.

What Food course options are available at Queen's at undergraduate & postgraduate level?

We are proud at Queen’s to be ranked #1 for Food Science Teaching in the UK (based on the National Student Survey, 2022). Our courses are taught by world-leading academics, who are part of the Institute for Global Food Security. We offer an exciting range of degrees, including those with a one-year professional studies placement, allowing our students to utilise the knowledge and practical skills gained in university and apply these in a work environment: 

Undergraduate 
▸ BSc Food Science and Nutrition 
▸ MSci Food Science and Nutrition 

Postgraduate Taught
▸ MSc Advanced Food Safety

 

What kinds of career options do Queen's Food courses have the potential to open up?

 Studying Food Science and Nutrition at Queen’s opens up a world of possibilities, leading to careers in new product development, nutrition, health promotion, food policy, food security, technical, quality and production roles, to name only a few!

Our graduates have secured management roles with organisations such as: Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer, The Food Standards Agency, Finnebrogue, Suki Tea, Dale Farm, Nestlé, Kerry Group, Moy Park, Tayto, Hovis, Ulster Cancer Foundation, Hospital Trusts and many more. We have strong links with employers and our graduates are highly valued, as illustrated below.

What skills, qualities, and interests are important in order to pursue a successful career in the food industry? 

Food scientists solve problems and create opportunities for their customers. It is our aim at Queen’s to develop our students, not just in terms of technical/scientific ability, but also to provide opportunities to develop essential “soft” skills valued by employers. These include: creativity, problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, communication, resilience, flexibility, entrepreneurship and a digital mind-set.

So, if you decide to study with us, not only would you graduate with a degree from a world-leading Russell Group University, you’d also have practical experience and transferable skills. 
It’s what makes studying at Queen’s University Belfast special.

 

"Whether it is interns, placement students or graduates, we have been impressed by both the QUB students’ strong knowledge of the food industry issues but also by their workplace-readiness skills. Our strong partnership and alignment will mean QUB students will continue to be a strong part of M&S Food Technology recruitment for many years to come."

- Dominic Darby, Former Head of Food Technology, Marks and Spencer

 

 

CASE STUDIES

Catherine Kane

Course completed:
BSc (Hons) Degree in Food, Quality, Safety and Nutrition
Employer:
Food Standards Agency (FSA) 
Job Title:
Trade Risk Assessor

I was always interested in Biology and Chemistry at school, but my favourite class was Home Economics, as I loved learning about food and the impact that food has on our health. I wanted to learn more about and potentially focus my career on food, which led me to find the course at Queen’s.

After graduating, I decided to go into the food industry, where I gained experience in a variety of roles, including: quality, new product development and technical roles. I developed many valuable skills during this time and enjoyed being involved in the food production process from start to finish. I always enjoyed research, so when I saw a job opening at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) within the Scientific Evidence and Research Division, I welcomed the opportunity to join the team.

In the Trade Risk Assessment team, we assess the risk to food and feed posed by imports, including microbiological and chemical risks. We seek to ensure that all food and feed being imported is safe for consumers. A typical week in my current role would involve researching and assessing relevant scientific information to provide risk assessment advice on hazards in imported food and feed.

I also support the Trade Risk Assessment team in delivering and further developing import risk assessments by: gathering and analysing data; organising expert panels; preparing and 
delivering presentations; and attending and participating in internal and external meetings.

 

Eamon Hardy

Course completed:
BSc (Hons) Degree in Food, Quality, Safety 
and Nutrition
Employer:
Nestlé (Global Confectionery) 
Job title:
Research & Development Project Manager

A typical week in my current role is extremely varied, as I am responsible for global confectionery new product development launches across multiple manufacturing facilities and from idea 
generation to commercial launch. 
Key aspects of my role include: coordinating product tasting & sensory analysis; product & packaging consumer research; packaging artwork processes; new raw material onboarding; and the product development process. 

The BSc Food Quality, Safety and Nutrition course provided me with an excellent foundation to enter the food industry when I joined the Kerry Group Graduate programme, providing me with a great understanding of food microbiology, food chemistry, nutrition, new product development, processing, and packaging.

 

Hannah Ferguson

Currently studying:
BSc (Hons) Degree in Food Science and 
Nutrition
Placement Employer:
Diageo

I carried out my placement with Diageo, working on their Baileys site in Mallusk, where I worked as part of the Quality team. My duties varied, and some daily tasks included completing final product checks to make sure that all goods leaving the site met the quality standards required. I was also 
responsible for sending samples for microbiological testing, along with investigating and managing consumer complaints.

Another duty I carried out on a daily basis was the calibration and verification tests on the laboratory equipment, which gave me a deeper understanding of how they worked, and the importance of obtaining valid and reliable results.

The experience has helped me implement and expand my knowledge that I learned in university, and given me a further understanding of the importance of quality teams within the food and beverage industry.

 

Clodagh Lynch

Currently studying:
BSc (Hons) Degree in Food Science and Nutrition
Placement Employer:
Marks & Spencer

While on placement with Marks & Spencer, I gained experience as a food technologist. Working at M&S for the first 6 months as part of the retail team and at one of their suppliers for the second half of the year as part of the technical team, allowed me to gain a comprehensive insight into the food industry.

I thoroughly enjoyed the projects I got to work on, such as sugar and salt reduction in everyday 
essential grocery items. I even had the opportunity to go to Germany to visit a new high-tech cereal manufacturer to discuss some ideas! This also enabled me to visit a variety of factories, ranging from ambient to frozen to fresh food production and thus experience a wide variety of procedures involved in keeping food safe, legal, and of high quality. 

The most rewarding part of the year has been experiencing audits of suppliers and retailers - at 
M&S, I was able to gain insight into the audit process from the retailer’s perspective, but in the factory, I had the opportunity to see the audit from the supplier’s perspective. It was fascinating to see the many procedures in place within food manufacturing that keep the food that we see on shelves safe and of high standards.

Dr Susan Doherty

School of Biological Sciences; Institute for Global Food Security

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For further information, contact Communications Officer Una Bradley on u.bradley@qub.ac.uk