Description of Positions
Food Quality Assurance Laboratory
The Food Quality Assurance Laboratory provides technical support and personnel to LDS
Welfare Services. Students perform quality assurance tests and report any problem in product or
packaging. This provides students with hands-on experience in a working lab. Students receive
mentored experience in analytical equipment use, production, sanitation, quality control and
record keeping. Students work on other projects as time permits.
Food Sensory Laboratory
The Sensory Laboratory assists companies in the food industry as well as those performing
research within the NDFS Dept by conducting sensory analysis of foods. Duties are varied and
typically include preparing for and working during “taste panels”. Additional opportunities are
available to students who want to know more about data collection and analysis software and
sensory project design and management. Students work under the direction of the lab manager
and student assistant. Work hours are flexible and are often contingent upon the number of
panels scheduled. These positions provide experience for students at any stage of their
undergraduate career.
Food Microbiology Laboratory
The Micro Lab provides technical microbiological support and personnel to LDS Welfare
Services, particularly to Deseret Meat. Students learn all aspects of microbial testing from
making agar, agar plates to running the tests themselves. This provides students with hands-on
experience in a working lab. Students follow FSIS antiseptic techniques in handling all products.
Students receive mentored experience in equipment, media preparation, sampling, test analysis
and proper disposal of used media. Students help with other projects as needed.
Research Assistant
Being a research assistant typically involves searching scientific literature as well as developing
methods and performing laboratory analyses. BYU Food Science research is currently focused
on studying long-term food preservation and storage. Students work under the direction of a
faculty mentor and usually a graduate student. Often, work will be related to the research of a
Food Science graduate student. These positions provide excellent laboratory experience,
especially for students who are looking to do graduate work in Food Science or those applying to
professional programs
Teaching Assistant
Teaching assistants (TAs) for classes grade assignments and perform other duties as specified by
the instructor. Laboratory assistants prepare for and teach labs and grade assignments. Potential
TAs must have taken and have excelled in the class or lab for which they are applying.
NDFS 191 (F,W) - Introduction to Food Science
NDFS 250 (F,W, Sp) - Essentials of Food Science
NDFS 251 (F, W, Sp) - Essentials of Food Science Laboratory
NDFS 350 – (W) Food Analysis
NDFS 355 – (W) Food Process Engineering
NDFS 355L – (W) Food Process Engineering Laboratory
NDFS 361- (F) Food Microbiology Laboratory
NDFS 362 – (F) Food Commodity Processing
NDFS 450 – (F) Food Chemistry
NDFS 464 – (W) Food Sensory Evaluation
NDFS 465 – (W) Food Product Development
Last Updated 3/11