What Jobs Are There for Biologists?
Here are some of the career options available to a biologist. While they may each require different amounts of education and training, each is important for helping to understand the diverse world of biology. This list does not contain all the possible careers, but gives an idea about the many unique career possibilities available. To give you a more detailed idea of what you could do as a biolfogist, we've highlighted several specific jobs or areas of study, often from researchers associated with Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences.
Many of these careers also overlap. For example, as part of an animal physiologist's job, he or she may write about research findings for the public (science writing), use research findings to help a species survive (conservation scientist), or communicate information about a species through art (biological illustrator). Once you have some ideas for what you are interested in, check out some job search tools under our Budding Biologists section of the Links page to see what types of jobs are available.
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Job Name | What They Study or Do | |
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the shape, size, and position of various parts of an organism | |
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the behaviors of animals | |
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non-wildlife animals, including those that are domestic or farmed | |
human beings in both the present and the past | ||
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human activity in the past | |
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the origin, evolution, and future of life in the universe |
Some animal behaviorists use a range of skills in research, from detailed observation skills, to skills in electronics and engineering. Click each photo for more detail. | |
Astrobiologists conduct a wide variety of studies to help them learn about how life began. Click each photo for more detail. |
Biological illustrators create illustrations that help people learn about biology or communicate biological information. Click each photo for more detail. | |
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Some biotechnologists use plants to create technologies. Click each photo for more detail. |
Conservation scientists often focus on learning information to benefit the survival of a specific species or area. Click each photo for more detail. |
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Doctors focus on human health, whether they treat or prevent disease or injuries, or they study specific diseases. Click each photo for more detail. |
Endocrinologists study how hormones affect physiology, behavior, and survival. Click each photo for more detail. | |
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Environmental lawyers fight to protect the natural environment. Click each photo for more detail. |
Fisheries scientists may work to find a balance between protecting a species and supporting fishing communities. Click each photo for more detail. |
Food scientists create or study new food, food-related safety measures, or preservation processes. Click each photo for more detail. |
Histologists study the anatomy of cells and tissues of living organisms. Click each photo for more detail. | |
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Icthyologists study fish. Because this is a specialty on a specific type of organism, they might study many different things about fish, such as behavior, physiology, or ecology. Click each photo for more detail. |
Marine biologists work on organisms that live in or depend on the sea, such as seabirds, crustaceans, and microscopic plankton. Click each photo for more detail. | |
Microbiologists study microbial life, including bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Microbiologists may work in the lab a lot, but many also get outside to study these organisms in the wild. Click each photo for more detail. |
Neuroscientists focus their work on the nervous system, which includes mainly the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Some neuroscientists study humans, but others work with different animal species. Click each photo for more detail. | |
Ornithologists study birds. Because this is a specialty on a specific type of organism, they might study many different things about birds, such as bird behavior or how to conserve a certain species. Click each photo for more detail. |
Photobiologists study how light affects organisms and biological processes. Click each photo for more detail. | |
Plant scientists may study plant physiology, plant distribution, plant ecology, or more plant-related subjects. Click each photo for more detail. |
Science writers form a bridge between scientists and the public. They take difficult, often dense, information, and communicate it in a way that is interesting and understandable to people unfamiliar with the subject matter. Click each photo for more detail. | |
Thermal biologists study how heat or temperature affects how living organisms behave, how their bodies work or develop, and how they evolve. Click each photo for more detail. |
Virologists study viruses, their evolution, development, and reproduction, and the effects that they have on their hosts. Click each photo for more detail. | |
Zookeepers are involved in the care, training, and breeding of exotic species, many of which are important to national breeding programs. Click each photo for more detail. |
Remember, we couldn't cover all the types of biologists and many of these jobs overlap. So if there is an organism or a biological process you are interested in studying, make sure to search for information on it.
Your perfect biology job is out there!
Additional images via Wikimedia Commons.
Read more about: What's a Biologist?
Bibliographic details:
- Article: Biology Careers A to Z
- Author(s): Dr. Biology
- Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
- Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
- Date published: 17 Feb, 2015
- Date accessed:
- Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/careers
APA Style
Dr. Biology. (Tue, 02/17/2015 - 11:01). Biology Careers A to Z. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/careers
Chicago Manual of Style
Dr. Biology. "Biology Careers A to Z". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 17 Feb 2015. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/careers
MLA 2017 Style
Dr. Biology. "Biology Careers A to Z". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 17 Feb 2015. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/careers
Biologists study the living world. Some biologists (called Anthropologists) study the human part of that living world. Visit Ask An Anthropologist to learn more about how humans came to be the way they are today.
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