What does a biological scientist do?
A biological scientist's duties will vary depending on one's industry of employment. Typically, they are responsible for studying and conducting research and analysis on living organisms, collaborating with fellow scientists, traveling to different areas, and keeping an accurate record of all observations, results, and processes. They must also prepare reports and presentations, reviewing them to ensure accuracy in every detail. Furthermore, a biological scientist may work in a laboratory setting or conduct lectures at an academic institution.
Biological scientist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real biological scientist resumes:
- Lead protein biochemistry efforts for nuclear receptor group and develop bioassays and initiate new approaches.
- Develop and manage third party claim investigations and contractor remedial oversight for various insurance companies.
- Perform high molecular weight DNA extraction from bacterial cells using microbiology and molecular biology methods.
- Provide technical/analytical inputs for the responses to FDA comments.
- Give final presentation via PowerPoint to peers and advisors.
- Characterize CMC drug substances for potency using in vitro effector function assay.
- Present data in form of detail written reports and oral PowerPoint presentations.
- Characterize synthetic products using NMR, TLC, melting points and IR.
- Explore and implement new technologies to improve efficiency and productivity in QC setting.
- Utilize Karl Fischer, IR, UV, and other general laboratory techniques.
- Set up the gel-inventory for protein work, GLP and Non-GLP environment set up.
- Analyze cell populations with FACS and responsible for assisting departmental colleagues with flow cytometry.
- Teach, train and oversee several lab technicians in the QC and development labs on various assays.
- Determine quality and quantity of various RNA and standardize samples for array processing in an automate high-though put environment.
- Prepare and process plasma and serum samples from various studies using liquid and solid phase extraction (SPE) techniques.
Biological scientist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 9% of Biological Scientists are proficient in Data Analysis, Cell Culture, and RNA.
We break down the percentage of Biological Scientists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Data Analysis, 9%
Played key role on anti-inflammatory project by handling data analysis and data entry to the database.
- Cell Culture, 7%
Experience with cell culture of peripheral blood, bone marrow cells, primary leukemia cells and leukemia cell lines.
- RNA, 5%
Developed a binding experiment utilizing fluorescence polarization to screen discovery compounds for interaction with various RNA constructs.
- Cell-Based Assays, 5%
Purified antibodies and antigens for antibody affinity screens, biochemical and cell-based assays, immunizations, and GLP toxicology studies.
- Technical Reports, 5%
Prepared quarterly research reports for the department and prepared technical reports and oral presentations for the team and the department.
- Western Blotting, 4%
Aided in the development of a system that utilized LICOR technologies for Western Blotting experiments within the company.
"data analysis," "cell culture," and "rna" are among the most common skills that biological scientists use at work. You can find even more biological scientist responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. One of the key soft skills for a biological scientist to have is communication skills. You can see how this relates to what biological scientists do because "medical scientists must be able to explain their research in nontechnical ways." Additionally, a biological scientist resume shows how biological scientists use communication skills: "display good communication skills, practical dexterity and attention to detail. "
Observation skills. Many biological scientist duties rely on observation skills. "medical scientists conduct experiments that require monitoring samples and other health-related data.," so a biological scientist will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways biological scientist responsibilities rely on observation skills: "perform basic laboratory procedures including test article preparation and administration and observation for signs of toxicity. "
The three companies that hire the most biological scientists are:
- Pacific Architects and Engineers
17 biological scientists jobs
- My Florida Regional Mls12 biological scientists jobs
- Bristol-Myers Squibb10 biological scientists jobs
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Compare different biological scientists
Biological scientist vs. Research fellow
A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between biological scientists and research fellow. For instance, biological scientist responsibilities require skills such as "technical reports," "analyze data," "extraction," and "data entry." Whereas a research fellow is skilled in "patients," "immunology," "crispr," and "cell biology." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Research fellows really shine in the non profits industry with an average salary of $57,261. Comparatively, biological scientists tend to make the most money in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $80,567.research fellows tend to reach similar levels of education than biological scientists. In fact, research fellows are 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 22.8% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Biological scientist vs. Senior research fellow
Senior Research Fellows are reputable researchers employed in an academic institution or a research facility. The nature of their employment in the institution is related to their research work or field of interest. Senior Research Fellows lead a team of researchers on big projects that require more team members. They manage the team's budget, set timelines, and guide the researchers. They spearhead the analysis of the data gathered. They also set the tone for the presentation materials. Senior Research Fellows should be passionate about their field, should have a thirst for knowledge, and should be able to lead teams.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real biological scientist resumes. While biological scientist responsibilities can utilize skills like "technical reports," "public health," "molecular biology techniques," and "extraction," senior research fellows use skills like "python," "c++," "research findings," and "technical assistance."
In general, senior research fellows achieve higher levels of education than biological scientists. They're 7.0% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 22.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for biological scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Betsy Smith
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College
Biological scientist vs. Research technician
A research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from biological scientist resumes include skills like "rna," "technical reports," "dna," and "public health," whereas a research technician is more likely to list skills in "patients," "laboratory equipment," "tissue culture," and "biochemistry. "
Research technicians make a very good living in the manufacturing industry with an average annual salary of $51,020. On the other hand, biological scientists are paid the highest salary in the pharmaceutical industry, with average annual pay of $80,567.Most research technicians achieve a lower degree level compared to biological scientists. For example, they're 6.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 7.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Biological scientist vs. Research associate
A research associate is responsible for assisting the research team, organizing and interpreting findings, and verifying information before presenting the study to the board. Research associates duties also include gathering and comparing data from multiple sources, analyzing the current industry trends, creating draft outlines for reports, collecting individual contacts for interview purposes, and helping with the development of research procedures. A research associate must have excellent time-management skills and ability to multi-task, especially on meeting strict deadlines and conducting studies.
Types of biological scientist
Updated January 8, 2025
