While many people may think of biotechnology as a career in healthcare, students in biotechnology have the opportunity to pursue many different fields that are shaping our future. From environmental science to healthcare, biotechnology has a wide range of applications, and there are over 1.66 million jobs in this field, and the number is estimated to increase. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate of biological technicians and other careers in biotechnology is expected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028, which is higher than average. According to Best Colleges, "Even those in entry-level roles, like biological technician or medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, make significantly more than the national average," although higher positions in the field of biotechnology generally does require higher education, such as a Master's Degree or a PhD, so your career decision should be based off of your interests, rather than statistics and people's expectations. The definition of biotechnologist is someone who "uses biological processes to their advantage in industrial and other applications," and this can apply to careers such as a biomedical engineer, food scientist, environmental scientist, and more. Here are some careers in biotechnology in all of the major career fields!
Biological Science and Healthcare
Medical Scientist
Median Salary - $88,790
Job Outlook - 8% (faster than average)
Medical scientists research diseases and conditions, and help develop treatments and preventative medicine to improve human health. Most of these jobs are full-time, and medical scientists generally work for research and development companies, colleges, and hospitals. Some of the responsibilities of a medical scientist include testing and interpreting clinical trial data, developing drugs and medical devices, and conducting clinical trials.
Microbiologist
Median Salary - $75,650
Job Outlook - 5% (average)
Microbiologists study fungi, algae, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other microorganisms to produce vaccines, medicine, and more. These scientists conduct research projects and lab experiments to diagnose and treat diseases, which usually takes place in a laboratory, office, or industrial setting. Outside of medical microbiology, some other types of microbiology include food, veterinary, food, and pharmaceutical microbiology.
Biological Technician (Laboratory Assistant)
Median Salary - $45,860
Job Outlook - 7% (faster than average)
Biological Technicians assist other scientists in conducting experiments and other laboratory tests. While other careers, such as medical scientist and microbiologist require more than an undergraduates degree, biological technicians typically only need a Bachelor's Degree. They help maintain laboratory equipment, prepare samples, conduct experiments, and analyze results under the supervision of another scientist.
...and too many more careers in the healthcare field to list!
Architecture, Industry, and Environmental Design
Environmental Biotechnologist
Median Salary (Environmental Scientist) - $71,360
Job Outlook - 8% (faster than average)
Environmental biotechnologists use biotechnology to create more sustainable societies, for example, by converting compost into biofuels, engineer living organisms to process contaminants, replacing chemicals with biological processes, and more. These scientists work with private companies and federal agencies, and they may do both field and lab work to analyze relationships in the environment and develop new products.
Environmental Engineers
Median Salary - $88,860
Job Outlook - 5% (average)
Environmental engineers help companies reduce waste and pollution, and make sure these companies comply with environmental regulations. They design methods to help reduce the amount of waste that gets into the environment, clean up contamination, and protect public health. This involves treating wastewater, developing pollution control technology, or converting waste to clean energy.
Food Biotechnologist
Median Salary (Food Scientist) - $65,160
Job Outlook - 7% (faster than average)
Food biotechnologists can genetically modify food to have desirable traits through genetic engineering. This helps companies produce food that are resistant to drought, disease, and pesticides, while also producing more appealing qualities such as enhanced nutritional content and flavor. In addition, food biotechnologists can also help with improving the safety of agricultural products.
Education
Professor
Median Salary - $79,540
Job Outlook - 11% (much faster than average)
Many colleges and universities around the world need biotechnology professors to prepare course material and lectures, grade papers, and mentor students. However, outside of teaching, professors can also spend time conducting research, while also supervising student projects. They also have the opportunity to publish works, and in fact, some professors spend more time on research than teaching!
Secondary School Science Teacher
Median Salary - $61,660
Job Outlook - 4% (average)
High school or secondary school teachers are familiar to many of us students, and they often have responsibilities such as planning and teaching lessons, working with students, and preparing students for standarized tests, college, and the outside world. While science teachers generally don't conduct research like professors, occasionally these teachers will supervise students when doing simple lab projects.
Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science
Bioinformaticist
Median Salary (Information Research Scientist) - $122,840
Job Outlook - 16% (much higher than average)
Bioinformacists use biology and information systems technology to create systems that collect and interpret data from healthcare, genetics, or pharmaceutics. By using computational tools, algorithms, mathematical models, and databases, bioinformacists can apply this technology to medical research, which often relates to topics in biotechnology such as population data, genetics, and drug development.
Biomedical Engineer
Median Salary - $91,410
Job Outlook - 4% (average)
Biomedical engineers combine biology and engineering to create equipment, technology, devices, software, and more to improve healthcare. Some examples of devices created by biomedical engineering include artificial organs, surgical robots, prosthetics, drugs, and kidney dialysis. Many predict that biomedical engineering is a burgeoning field, as the aging population is growing, which in turn increases the need for biomedical engineers.
Biomedical Data Scientist
Median Salary (Data Scientist) - $94,280
Job Outlook (Statistician) - 30% (much faster than average)
Biomedical data scientists build computational models to predict disease and treatment outcomes using machine learning. In fact, data science has played a crucial role in biomedical research too, as computational models can now predict the effect of a drug, which may reduce the need for animal testing. These scientists may also frequently work with oncologists and immunologists to predict treatment outcomes.
Business and Communication
Biotechnology Project Manager
Median Salary (Architectural and Engineering Manager) - $144,830
Job Outlook - 3% (slower than average)
Biotechnology project managers oversee scientific projects by integrating business with science to help guide scientific experiments and create successful products. These managers will work with scientists, other managers, and investors, so having a background in biotechnology can be useful as they are responsible for the strategy, planning, product development, and analyzing the results of the experiment.
Biomanufacturing Specialist
Median Salary (Industrial Production Manager) - $105,480
Job Outlook - 1% (no change)
Biomanufacturing specialists work on the large-scale production of cell cultures, proteins, drugs, and more, while also making sure to comply with regulatory restrictions. They may also test finished products for purity, safety, effectiveness, and overall quality control, so it is important to understand the rules and regulations of the industry when overseeing the manufacturing process.
Biotechnology Business Development Manager
Median Salary (Training and Development Manager) - $113,350
Job Outlook - 8% (faster than average)
Biotechnology Business Development Managers help biotechnology companies improve their growth and investment strategies by analyzing licensing, research and development agreements, mergers, joint ventures, and more. While this requires more business knowledge than biotechnology, it can be helpful to have knowledge of biotechnology to gain a better understanding of the company.
Law, Government, and Community Service
Forensic Science Technicians
Median Salary - $59,150
Job Outlook - 14% (much faster than average)
Forensic science technicians help law enforcement and crime scene investogators with criminal investigations by gathering and analyzing the evidence at a crime scene. Often times, forensic science technicians will be required to report findings and testify in court, and as a person's future may rely on the judgement of a forensic science technician, it is important to make sure that the evidence is not tainted or mishandled in any way.
Biotechnology Regulatory Affairs Manager
Median Salary (Compliance Officer) - $69,050
Job Outlook - 6% (average)
Biotechnology Regulatory Affairs Managers are greatly needed for public safety, as they make sure that food, drugs, medical technology, and other advancements in biotechnology meet state, federal, and international regulations. They oversee the developing, clinical trials, manufacturing, and marketing process to make sure that all products developed comply with regulations, so this career requires a knowledge of biology and law.
Military Engineering, Science, and Technical Officer
Median Salary - $117,280
Job Outlook - varies
Biological scientists in the United States Military may assess the risk of biothreats, biological warfare, and research the effect of toxins on the human body. They may be responsible for conducting tests, responding to dangerous conditions due to biological warfare, chemicals, or radiation, and analyzing results of tests. Additionally, biological scientists in the military also study ways to prevent disease.
*median salary and job outlook statistics are based off of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with some exceptions, but if the information isn't available for a certain career, the information for a similar career (in brackets) is substituted!
Bibliography
Joubert, Shayna. In-Demand Biotechnology Careers Shaping Our Future. 31 July 2018, www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/biotechnology-careers/ .
Auclair, Jared. “What Does A Biotechnologist Do?” Northeastern University Graduate Program, Northeastern University, 1 Oct. 2018, www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/what-does-a-biotechnologist-do/.
Johnston, Matthew. “Should You Go Into Biotech or Computer Science?” Investopedia, Dotdash, 5 Oct. 2019, www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/061715/should-you-go-biotech-or-computer-science.asp.
“What Is Biomedical Engineering?” Michigan Technological University, Michigan Technological University, www.mtu.edu/biomedical/department/what-is/.
McKenna, Laura. “How Hard Do Professors Actually Work?” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 7 Feb. 2018, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/02/how-hard-do-professors-actually-work/552698/.
“Biotechnology Careers.” BestColleges.com, BestColleges.com, 17 Sept. 2019, www.bestcolleges.com/careers/technology/biotechnology/.
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