How to hire a molecular biologist

How to hire a molecular biologist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step molecular biologist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a molecular biologist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new molecular biologist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a molecular biologist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The molecular biologist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A molecular biologist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, molecular biologists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of molecular biologist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Molecular Biologist	Description	Hourly rate
   Molecular Biologist		$25-50
   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... Show more	$14-28
   Research Laboratory Technician	Research laboratory technicians play a vital role in scientific laboratories. They perform varied duties and responsibilities, which include setting up, operating, and maintaining the laboratory equipment, assisting in laboratory-based research activities such as sampling, testing, and analyzing results, and providing technical support to the laboratory team members... Show more	$14-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CRISPR
   • Next-Generation Sequencing
   • Cell Culture
   • Lab Equipment
   • Molecular Biology Techniques
   • Extraction
   • Data Analysis
   • RT-PCR
   • Elisa
   • Experimental Design
   • Assay Development
   • Gene Expression
   • Research Projects
   • Rna Extraction

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide oversight for FDA inspections.
   • Present results in monthly HTS and data meeting.
   • Perform instrument, primers and reagent validations utilize in RT-PCR.
   • Develop and perform assays for testing samples using ELISA and PCR technology.
   • Used molecular techniques such as RNA and DNA isolation, RT-PCR, and qPCR.
   • Play a lead role in developing, optimizing and validating ELISA and ELISA microarrays.

   More molecular biologist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the molecular biologist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A molecular biologist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a molecular biologist in Wisconsin may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level molecular biologist. Additionally, a molecular biologist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average molecular biologist salary

   $73,763yearly

   $35.46 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level molecular biologist salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average molecular biologist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Hawaii	$98,164	$47
   2	California	$86,754	$42
   3	Massachusetts	$85,144	$41
   4	District of Columbia	$84,795	$41
   5	New Jersey	$80,172	$39
   6	New York	$79,658	$38
   7	Maryland	$78,161	$38
   8	Indiana	$77,662	$37
   9	Georgia	$76,027	$37
   10	Virginia	$73,286	$35
   11	Illinois	$68,083	$33
   12	North Carolina	$66,495	$32
   13	Alabama	$65,842	$32
   14	Texas	$64,050	$31
   15	Tennessee	$61,536	$30
   16	Ohio	$61,295	$29
   17	Florida	$60,091	$29
   18	Wisconsin	$59,447	$29
   19	Missouri	$58,591	$28
   20	Arkansas	$55,294	$27

   Average molecular biologist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Novartis	$99,163	$47.67
   2	Eli Lilly and Company	$98,900	$47.55	17
   3	Oak Ridge National Laboratory	$92,783	$44.61	32
   4	Abbott	$90,730	$43.62	4
   5	Battelle	$89,087	$42.83	4
   6	University of California	$84,161	$40.46	13
   7	Eurofins	$82,665	$39.74	44
   8	United States Department of Justice	$81,091	$38.99
   9	Roivant Sciences	$80,751	$38.82
   10	Life Tech International	$80,513	$38.71
   11	Integrated Resources	$79,526	$38.23	158
   12	Alaka`ina Foundation Family Of Companies	$78,841	$37.90
   13	Sana Biotechnology	$78,392	$37.69	2
   14	Monsanto	$78,295	$37.64
   15	Lilly & Company	$78,274	$37.63	16
   16	US Meat Animal Research Center	$78,253	$37.62
   17	INEOS USA LLC	$77,837	$37.42
   18	DNA Response	$77,684	$37.35
   19	Pacific Architects and Engineers	$77,652	$37.33
   20	Pace Analytical	$77,643	$37.33	1

4. Writing a molecular biologist job description

   A job description for a molecular biologist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a molecular biologist job description:

   Molecular biologist job description example

   The Molecular Biologist will be responsible for enzyme and strain engineering activities, and protein expression optimization. The person will be in charge of building such capabilities in-house, as well as managing external collaborations in these areas to support innovation.
   Core Responsibilities:
   · Apply molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, bioinformatics knowledge and skills to design and conduct strain and enzyme engineering and enzyme expression experiments and interpret results.
   · Maintain records for experiment outcome, results and data.
   · Operate strain engineering, protein expression, purification, analysis automated systems, imagers, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, etc.
   · Coordinate DNA / RNA sequencing, conduct cloning, extraction, purification, gel electrophoresis and other essential molecular biology activities.
   · Conduct in-house protein and strain engineering, gene expression, protein purification, structure determination, experiments.
   · Supervise 3rd party strain and enzyme engineering projects, assess and validate project deliverables.
   · Provide molecular biology perspectives & support to projects.
   · Record and document all stages of R&D work, operate lab information & knowledge management system (ELN etc.).
   · Prepare reports and presentations.
   · Other assigned duties and responsibilities.
   
   Qualified candidates will have:
   · PhD degree in molecular biology, biotechnology or related field with 3+ years working experience in biotechnology industry preferred. Candidates with proper postdoc experience encouraged to apply as well. MS degree with significant experience also considered.
   · Hands-on experience with protein and strain engineering, protein expression and purification, molecular biology principal equipment and automated systems.
   · Applied knowledge in modern molecular biology & enzyme engineering techniques, gene expression, bioinformatics, strain engineering and protein expression optimization methods.
   · Understanding of metabolic engineering, biochemistry, microbial physiology, and genetics.
   
   Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.
   #LI-JG1
   We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, military status, or disability status.
   
   Relocation Available:
   Yes, Within Region

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right molecular biologist for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your molecular biologist job on Zippia to find and recruit molecular biologist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with molecular biologist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new molecular biologist

   Once you've selected the best molecular biologist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new molecular biologist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a molecular biologist?