Biologist Career Description

Biologist Job Profile and Description

A biologist career is a niche and the good news is that the future is quite bright. There are different specialties that a biologist can opt for although the one field that is in high demand is wildlife biologist. As a biologist, your job can be indoors or it can take you outdoors. Wildlife biologists are often required to travel to far-flung natural habitats while microbiologists spend most of their time in laboratories.

A biologist can get good jobs in state government agencies or can opt to work for private firms offering scope for research and development in life sciences. The role of the biologist varies according to the specialty like a marine biologist focuses on the scientific study of organisms in the marine environment.

Biologist Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities of a biologist include:

• Provide technical expertise and assistance in projects that revolve around one or multiple aspects of biology and life sciences
• Necessitate training on varies areas of biology and life sciences for other staff or trainee biologists
• Create reports on various aspects of existing living organisms and their interaction with the immediate environment
• Conduct crucial laboratory experiments to reach the cause of a problem or to help in finding a solution
• Conduct field studies in areas or habitats affected by disease or biological changes or natural disasters 

Biologist Skills and Specifications

The skills and specifications that are required by a biologist include:

• Ability to work long hours in the field or laboratory
• Patience, determination, and high levels of commitment
• Knowledge of specialization area like molecular biology or marine biology
• High level of physical fitness
• Ability to work in demanding environments
• Critical thinking and observation skills

Biologist Education and Qualification

The education and qualification requirements for a biologist are as follows:

• Bachelor degree in zoology and wildlife biology
• Ph.D. is required for teaching or for Research and development
• Knowledge of computer science
• Certification in use of advanced computer software

Biologist Salary

The salary of a biologist can vary from $35,660 to $93,450. The median annual salary for biologists in the US is $57,430.