What does a scientific technician do?
Scientific technician responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real scientific technician resumes:
- Manage AIS boat check stations with WDFW enforcement (Carl Klein).
- Identify owl species by sight and sound prompt using hoot flute and reed caller.
- Work onboard commercial gillnet boats to monitor salmon harvest.
- Measure fork length and weight of salmon and steelhead, as well as other fish species.
- Operate and maintain power boats, drift boats, and rafts for field surveys.
- Utilize maps, GPS, rangefinder, secchi disk and kayaks on a daily basis.
- Collect biological data on rabbits including health, sex, age, DNA ear punch.
- Experience with the use of GPS in locating field transects as well as marking points and retaining coordinates.
- Summarize data daily and enter online weekly so in- season management of the quota-based fisheries can be perform.
- Perform habitat surveys in non-fish bearing streams locate in remote timber harvest sites, also participate in vegetation surveys.
- Gather viral DNA sequence data from known and dispute cases of transmission, analyze sequences and perform necessary calculations.
- Administer experimental cell-base therapy to feline and canine cancer patients in collaboration with staff and physicians at a veterinary oncology clinic.
- Conduct quantitative PCR assays for plant pathogen detection using the appropriate TaqMan probes.
- Isolate genetic material for genotyping large transgenic mouse colony & collect tissues for biochemical analysis and histology.
Scientific technician skills and personality traits
We calculated that 18% of Scientific Technicians are proficient in Data Collection, GPS, and Harvest. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Observational skills.
We break down the percentage of Scientific Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Data Collection, 18%
Performed meticulous data collection (wildlife, plants and water quality data) and data management for QA/QC and reporting.
- GPS, 11%
Plotted on a GPS the dart tags (model FT-1-94) and recovery location to estimate distance of drift.
- Harvest, 8%
Performed habitat surveys in non-fish bearing streams located in remote timber harvest sites, also participated in vegetation surveys.
- Data Entry, 8%
Screened for potential participants, administered cognitive verbal and written tests to geriatric participants; performed data entry.
- Lab Equipment, 6%
Maintained inventory of chemicals and other items for labs, and performed routine maintenance of lab equipment and instruments.
- Boats, 5%
Worked closely with the boat pilots, commercial fishing vessel crews, biologists and fishery managers in the Fish Management unit.
Most scientific technicians use their skills in "data collection," "gps," and "harvest" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential scientific technician responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. One of the key soft skills for a scientific technician to have is analytical skills. You can see how this relates to what scientific technicians do because "biological technicians need to conduct scientific experiments and analyses with accuracy and precision." Additionally, a scientific technician resume shows how scientific technicians use analytical skills: "fish passage, stream, and habitat surveys gis analysis, data entry"
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform scientific technician duties is communication skills. Scientific technicians responsibilities require that "biological technicians must understand and follow the instructions of their managing scientists." Scientific technicians also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "comforted patients and provided them with reassurance and encouragement exhibited compassionate care and communication with regard to issues of death and dying"
Observational skills. scientific technicians are also known for observational skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to scientific technician responsibilities, because "biological technicians must constantly monitor their experiments." A scientific technician resume example shows how observational skills is used in the workplace: "monitored nesting habits of malaclemys terrapin (diamondback terrapin) by collecting gps and observational data. "
Technical skills. scientific technician responsibilities often require "technical skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "biological technicians need to set up and operate sophisticated equipment and instruments." This resume example shows what scientific technicians do with technical skills on a typical day: "field & technical experience assisted in egg take practices with trout on western wisconsin inland streams. "
The three companies that hire the most scientific technicians are:
- n-Link
2 scientific technicians jobs
- Jacobs Engineering Group
1 scientific technicians jobs
- Promega1 scientific technicians jobs
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Compare different scientific technicians
Scientific technician vs. Biology laboratory assistant
A biology laboratory assistant is in charge of assisting scientists or researchers and performing laboratory support tasks on a daily basis. Their responsibilities include setting up and sanitizing equipment, preparing samples, maintaining documentation of all experiments and procedures, writing laboratory reports, and running errands as needed. There are also instances where they must update databases, answer calls and correspondence, and grade student papers. Furthermore, a biology laboratory assistant must maintain the cleanliness of laboratories, all while implementing its policies and regulations.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, scientific technician responsibilities require skills like "gps," "harvest," "data entry," and "boats." Meanwhile a typical biology laboratory assistant has skills in areas such as "biology laboratory," "chemistry," "anatomy," and "physiology." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Biology laboratory assistants earn the highest salaries when working in the government industry, with an average yearly salary of $53,128. On the other hand, scientific technicians are paid more in the pharmaceutical industry with an average salary of $64,757.biology laboratory assistants tend to reach similar levels of education than scientific technicians. In fact, biology laboratory assistants are 3.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Scientific technician vs. Laboratory internship
A laboratory intern is responsible for assisting laboratory operations and perform examinations and experiments under the supervision of tenured laboratory staff. Laboratory interns shadow all the laboratory processes, document their observations, and conduct an in-depth analysis of the results. They must have excellent knowledge of scientific procedures, demonstrating their class learnings to practical applications. A laboratory intern must be detail-oriented, especially on conducting and verifying the accuracy of research materials. It is also required for a laboratory intern to be a fast-learner, understanding the scientific complexities to master various approaches.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real scientific technician resumes. While scientific technician responsibilities can utilize skills like "gps," "harvest," "data entry," and "boats," laboratory interns use skills like "lab procedures," "chemistry," "python," and "c++."
Laboratory interns may earn a lower salary than scientific technicians, but laboratory interns earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $48,851. On the other hand, scientific technicians receive higher pay in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $64,757.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Laboratory interns tend to reach similar levels of education than scientific technicians. In fact, they're 1.9% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for scientific technicians in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Jodi Lancaster Ph.D.
Dean of the School of Sciences and Professor of Molecular Biology, Elizabethtown College
Scientific technician vs. Research assistant, chemistry department
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, scientific technicians are more likely to have skills like "gps," "harvest," "data entry," and "boats." But a research assistant, chemistry department is more likely to have skills like "nmr," "sem," "laboratory equipment," and "tem."
Most research assistants, chemistry department achieve a similar degree level compared to scientific technicians. For example, they're 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 3.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Scientific technician vs. Fishery observer
Even though a few skill sets overlap between scientific technicians and fishery observers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a scientific technician might have more use for skills like "harvest," "data entry," "lab equipment," and "boats." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of fishery observers require skills like "vessel safety," "biological data," "fisheries management," and "nmfs. "
The average resume of fishery observers showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to scientific technicians. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 2.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 1.9%.Types of scientific technician
Updated January 8, 2025
