Wildlife technician vs microbiology technician

The differences between wildlife technicians and microbiology technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a wildlife technician and a microbiology technician. Additionally, a microbiology technician has an average salary of $40,084, which is higher than the $33,462 average annual salary of a wildlife technician.

The top three skills for a wildlife technician include GPS, hand tools and harvest. The most important skills for a microbiology technician are lab equipment, test results, and laboratory procedures.

Wildlife technician vs microbiology technician overview

	Wildlife Technician	Microbiology Technician
Yearly salary	$33,462	$40,084
Hourly rate	$16.09	$19.27
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	9,809	25,704
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

What does a wildlife technician do?

A wildlife technician is responsible for supporting wildlife biologists and management personnel on conducting research projects for habitat preservation and environmental welfare. Wildlife technicians create data reports, assist in laboratory examinations, collect biological samples, and maintaining the safety and security of the premises by observing surveillance equipment and adhering to safety policies and protocols. They also operate and inspect the efficiency of tools and equipment, provide routine maintenance, and request immediate repairs as necessary. A wildlife technician helps in planning wildlife programs and managing information dissemination to the public.

What does a microbiology technician do?

A Microbiology Technician helps microbiologists and other scientists conduct experiments and other tests. They usually work in labs and examine microscopic subjects, such as diseases, fungi, and algae.

Wildlife technician vs microbiology technician salary

Wildlife technicians and microbiology technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wildlife Technician	Microbiology Technician
Average salary	$33,462	$40,084
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $44,000	Between $29,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Springfield, MA	Central Islip, NY
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Boulder County	Thomas Jefferson University
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Health Care

Differences between wildlife technician and microbiology technician education

There are a few differences between a wildlife technician and a microbiology technician in terms of educational background:

	Wildlife Technician	Microbiology Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	Cornell University

Wildlife technician vs microbiology technician demographics

Here are the differences between wildlife technicians' and microbiology technicians' demographics:

	Wildlife Technician	Microbiology Technician
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 66.5% Female, 33.5%	Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 14.1% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between wildlife technician and microbiology technician duties and responsibilities

Wildlife technician example responsibilities.

Lead fish exclusion and relocation efforts, using backpack electro fishing gear.
Research new techniques to properly manage invasive species such a common carp.
Perform automated DNA and RNA extraction of clinical specimens.
Collect and process biological samples for epidemiology PCR and RT-PCR studies.
Work with other volunteers and sometimes independently to search for, identify and record GPS coordinates of invasive plant species.
Extract nematode specimens from soil samples, remount old nematode slides, and enter vital information into USDA nematode collection database.

Microbiology technician example responsibilities.

Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
Apply GMP and GLP documentation for all sample testing.
Prepare culture media, perform culture media QC test, and maintain appropriate inventory, perform growth promotion testing and sterility.
Quantify total aerobic plate count and total yeast and mold count.
Keep records of all tests in database and keep entries of QA checks.
Use of microscopes, autoclaves, carboys, manual and electric pipettes, etc.

Wildlife technician vs microbiology technician skills

Common wildlife technician skills

GPS, 9%
Hand Tools, 8%
Harvest, 7%
Data Entry, 6%
Wildlife Habitat, 6%
GRASS, 5%

Common microbiology technician skills

Lab Equipment, 10%
Test Results, 6%
Laboratory Procedures, 5%
Environmental Monitoring, 5%
Media Preparation, 5%
FDA, 4%

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Wildlife Technician
Wildlife Technician vs Microbiology Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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