How To Become A Senior Microbiologist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a senior microbiologist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Dan Little Ph.D.,

Max Haggblom Ph.D.

It's hard to believe, but you can actually have a big impact on the world around you by analyzing tiny organisms. Microbiologists do this every day by scrutinizing microorganisms in their efforts to fight disease, develop chemical products for agriculture, and help keep the planet healthy.

Microbiologists study microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi, and some types of parasites. Through their analysis, they gain an understanding of how these organisms live, grow, and interact with their environments. They frequently work in hospitals, laboratories, and offices, where they conduct scientific experiments and analyze the results.

Some of the tasks that you'll perform as a microbiologist include planning and conducting complex research projects, isolating and maintaining cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms, growing and experimenting on samples, preparing technical reports, research papers, and recommendations.

If you're working in a senior role in this profession, you will likely also be expected to supervise quality control work assignments of other personnel, assist in the design and assessment of validation studies, and conduct laboratory audits to ensure compliance with mandated standards.

To become a senior microbiologist, you'll need a Bachelor's degree in biological sciences. Many employers may also require previous clinical or laboratory experience or a Master's degree in microbiology.

What general advice would you give to a senior microbiologist?

Dan Little Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Ohio Dominican University

Due to the pandemic, it will likely be more complicated than usual to find a job right away in the current economic situation. Companies are probably weighing the pros and cons of remaining open at all right now, so the prospect of filling vacant positions is secondary. But don't panic! Keep in touch with as many contacts as possible. Personal connections can be the best path to unexpected career opportunities.

ScoreSenior MicrobiologistUS Average

Salary

5.5

Avg. Salary $69,951

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.6

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.70%

Asian 14.51%

Black or African American 2.94%

Hispanic or Latino 8.25%

Unknown 5.25%

White 68.35%

Gender

female 48.99%

male 51.01%

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

5.6

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a senior microbiologist

Explore senior microbiologist education requirements

Most common senior microbiologist degrees

Bachelor's

74.8 %

Master's

13.8 %

Doctorate

6.6 %

Start to develop specific senior microbiologist skills

Skills	Percentages
FDA	7.48%
Environmental Monitoring	6.54%
Microbiology Lab	6.49%
Test Methods	6.03%
ISO	5.03%

Complete relevant senior microbiologist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior microbiologists 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 senior microbiologist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior microbiologist resumes.

Research senior microbiologist duties and responsibilities

Develop and manage cost effective qualification studies of disinfectant efficacy for contamination control follow by USP guidelines and ISO regulations.
Manage and implement microbiological efforts with the goal of FDA market approval of a low temperature vaporize hydrogen peroxide terminal sterilizer.
Perform microbiological tests (including pathogens) on the ingredients and final product.
Integrate GLP with GMP practices and protocols for overlap in lab and manufacturing duties.

Get senior microbiologist experience

Generally, it takes 1-2 years to become a senior microbiologist. The most common roles before becoming a senior microbiologist include microbiologist, research assistant team lead and laboratory technician.

Prepare your senior microbiologist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior microbiologist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior microbiologist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable senior microbiologist resume templates

Build a professional senior microbiologist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior microbiologist resume.