How To Become A Protein Purification Scientist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a protein purification scientist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Betsy Smith

Proteins are the building blocks for many advances in biochemistry, especially in vaccines and other medical advancements. However, before scientists can make use of proteins, they need to be purified first to isolate relevant sequences. That is the job of the protein purification scientist.

The protein purification scientist uses a variety of scientific processes to isolate protein sequences, such as IMAC and anion-exchange chromatographies. They work with antibodies and antigens as well. The protein purification scientist also supervises lab experiments, documents the results, and conducts any other tasks needed to ensure the success of the lab.

In order to work in a lab as a protein purification scientist, a person needs a lot of scientific knowledge and experience. Many protein purification scientists have advanced degrees such as masters or PhDs as well as years of experience. It takes delicate skill to conduct this delicate, microscopic work that helps save lives.

What general advice would you give to a protein purification scientist?

Dr. Betsy Smith

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College

I would advise students just graduating to be flexible and open-minded in their job search. Chemistry is a challenging major, and students who succeed in it have learned how to learn, so they shouldn't assume that pure chemistry is the only thing they can do. One growing field is biomedical research, and chemistry majors are often qualified for jobs in that area. If you have other strengths, like writing, there are often jobs that can combine them as a technical writer or work for a science journal. There are jobs out there that might be perfect for you that you haven't heard of until you see an ad for it, so be open to different possibilities.

ScoreProtein Purification ScientistUS Average

Salary

6.6

Avg. Salary $84,938

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.14%

Asian 27.95%

Black or African American 4.60%

Hispanic or Latino 7.38%

Unknown 3.55%

White 56.38%

Gender

female 38.78%

male 61.22%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a protein purification scientist

Explore protein purification scientist education requirements

Most common protein purification scientist degrees

Bachelor's

67.3 %

Master's

19.2 %

Doctorate

11.5 %

Start to develop specific protein purification scientist skills

Skills	Percentages
Western Blotting	12.46%
HPLC	12.23%
Elisa	11.02%
ION Exchange	9.64%
Cell Culture	8.08%

Complete relevant protein purification scientist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New protein purification scientists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a protein purification scientist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real protein purification scientist resumes.

Research protein purification scientist duties and responsibilities

Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
Analyze targeted protein with HPLC and SDS-PAGE.
Project and personnel management for large scale GMP downstream purification of plant make pharmaceuticals.
Purify triple label protein to support NMR studies as an alternative to obtain structural information and understand protein dynamics.

Apply for protein purification scientist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a protein purification scientist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first protein purification scientist job

Sonali Khan

Protein Purification Scientist, Presidency University

I have completed my graduation and post graduation in Botany from University of Calcutta, India. Like every other post-graduate student, I wanted to apply for jobs. But life had other plans for me. I was always interested in research and hence after my post graduation, I went on to work as a research fellow in the department of Life Sciences, Presidency University, Kolkata. I worked there for 2 DST sponsored projects, working on the characterization of rice proteins. I was so intrigued by the findings and the joy of a positive experiment compelled me to think of pursuing a PhD degree in this very field. I worked as a research fellow for 5 years before registering into the PhD program in 2021. As a researcher, I have missed many trips with family because I had my experiments to perform but somehow, I do not regret my decision because I learnt so much during the process. Protein purification is the base of any in-vitro and in-vivo experimentation and a lot of information can be derived (if done with much thought) even without the help of expensive methods like mass spectroscopy, etc. I have published my report already in the journal of Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics in October 2022.

Average protein purification scientist salary

The average protein purification scientist salary in the United States is $84,938 per year or $41 per hour. Protein purification scientist salaries range between $57,000 and $125,000 per year.

Average protein purification scientist salary

$84,938 Yearly

$40.84 hourly

How do protein purification scientists rate their job?

4/5

Out of 1 Protein Purification Scientist reviews, 100% were positive.

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Based on 1 ratings

Overall rating

4.0

Career growth

4.0

Work/life balance

3.0

Pay / salary

4.0

Protein purification scientist reviews

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2024

Pros

Enjoy working with challenging proteins. There are set timelines to the work. Usually positive outcomes with proper planning.

Cons

Writing up reports can be lengthy. Sometimes you have to work longer than a 8 hour day.

What is a protein purification scientist and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a protein purification scientist?

Protein purification scientist career paths

Key steps to become a protein purification scientist

Explore protein purification scientist education requirements

Most common protein purification scientist degrees

Start to develop specific protein purification scientist skills

Complete relevant protein purification scientist training and internships

Research protein purification scientist duties and responsibilities

Apply for protein purification scientist jobs

How did you land your first protein purification scientist job

Average protein purification scientist salary

How do protein purification scientists rate their job?

Protein purification scientist reviews