Biotechnologist job profile | 蘑菇视频黄片.ac.uk

Biotechnologists are at the forefront of innovation, using their understanding of biology and technology to develop groundbreaking products and solutions that improve lives and address global challenges

You'll explore the chemical, genetic and physical characteristics of living cells, tissues and organisms to develop new technologies, processes and products that tackle some of society's most pressing problems. Modern biotechnology incorporates cutting-edge technologies like gene editing, machine learning and AI, engineering biology, metabolic engineering and nanoscience.

Biotechnology can be used to:

design or enhance vaccines and medicines
enhance food production and security
tackle pollution and climate change
improve energy efficiency.

You can find work at biotechnology and other commercial companies, research or higher education institutions, government laboratories and hospitals.

Job titles vary and won't always be advertised as biotechnologist. Other job titles might include research assistant, genomic technologist, flow technologist or bioprocessing engineer. You'll need to look beyond the job title to the actual role.

Networking and exploring different roles within related fields is highly recommended. If it involves combining biological science with technology to tackle global challenges, it's likely to be a biotechnologist role.

Types of biotechnologist

Biotechnologists can be found in a range of industries including pharmaceuticals, healthcare, biofuels, agriculture, conservation, animal husbandry and food production.

Key areas of work include:

medicine and health - biotechnology is well established in medical sciences and can be used to create and improve lifesaving treatments, vaccines and drugs
chemicals and materials - biotechnology allows the creation of chemicals and materials from renewable biomass, reducing the dependency on fossil fuels and creating sustainable packaging and textiles
environment - biotechnology is being used to detect, clean up and control pollution and contamination in the environment, to create renewable energy and design biodegradable materials to reduce humanity's ecological footprint
food and agriculture - biotechnology provides innovative approaches to tackling food security by, for example, improving animal feed and genetically modifying crops to increase resistance to pests and improve productivity
biofuels - biotechnology is helping to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels in areas such as aviation.

Responsibilities

Your day-to-day activities will depend on your area of specialism, the sector you work in and the type of employer you work for.

However, you'll typically need to:

create, conduct and monitor experiments using live organisms or biomolecular processes in a laboratory setting to solve problems, improve processes and develop new products
use your scientific knowledge to follow different methodologies to achieve results
perform data analysis on your experiments and interpret findings to support scientific investigations
record and disseminate results accurately in reports and via presentations
set up, maintain and operate standard laboratory equipment and computers
work independently and collaboratively with other scientists
work to health, safety and environmental regulations and meet quality standards
keep up to date with new advances in biotechnology to develop new techniques, products or practices.

Role specific activities vary widely depending on the area you work in. Examples include:

using genomics to develop diagnostic tools that help characterise disease and personalised medicines with as few side-effects as possible
creating a new source of energy that doesn't rely on fossil fuels
creating a new textile that isn't made from destructive petrochemicals
increasing the yields of farmed fish and designing disease-resistant strains of oysters and vaccines against certain viruses that can infect fish
using cloning and enzyme production to preserve and enhance the taste in food and drink
developing enzymes to remove stains from clothing at lower washing temperatures
creating chemicals from renewable biomass to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Salary

The starting salary for graduates generally falls between 拢19,000 and 拢24,000.
Experienced biotechnologists can typically earn between 拢25,000 and 拢50,000.
Salaries for highly experienced biotechnologists (ten or more years) with additional or management responsibilities can rise to 拢60,000.

Your salary will vary depending on your area of focus and the industry you're working in. Salaries tend to be higher in large companies within the private commercial sector, particularly at senior level.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

A standard working week is usually between 35 and 40 hours. You may need to work shifts, nights and weekends if conducting experiments that need continuous monitoring.

What to expect

Work is often carried out in modern laboratories at hospitals, industrial lab units, factories or universities. You'll typically be working in sterile conditions and will need to wear protective clothing, such as a lab coat and safety glasses.
You'll usually conduct experiments on your own but will sometimes work collaboratively to achieve a common goal. Sharing information with your supervisor and colleagues is typical, and you may also need to attend conference calls or international conferences and produce research papers.
According to the UK Bioindustry Association (BIA), women are underrepresented in biotech, particularly at senior and chief executive level. They run several initiatives to help encourage women into biotechnology.
Expect to use a range of standard and highly-specialised laboratory equipment and computerised machines to produce results, at times to a short deadline.
Biotechnologist opportunities are available across the UK, but particularly in the biotech golden triangle of London, Oxford, and Cambridge, as well as in Scotland. There are, however, new biotech hubs emerging elsewhere in the UK in places such as Bristol. Opportunities are also available overseas, particularly in the USA. You may need to travel to enhance your knowledge and understanding of a specific technique or procedure.

Qualifications

You'll typically need an organic science degree, usually a 2:1 or above, to get into biotechnology. The following subjects are particularly useful:

biochemistry
biological sciences
biology (crop and plant science, environmental)
biomedical engineering
biomedical science
biotechnology
chemistry or chemical engineering
microbiology
molecular biology
pharmacology.

It may also be possible to enter the career with a Level 6 laboratory scientist degree apprenticeship. Apprenticeships combine paid work with study, so you can train on the job. Search for an apprenticeship.

Some employers will also ask for a postgraduate qualification such as a Masters or PhD. A PhD is particularly important if you want to follow a career in research. Another option is to take an integrated Masters degree (usually four years or five in Scotland), followed by a PhD.

Search postgraduate courses in biotechnology.

Employers may expect you to have some knowledge of the specific area of biotechnology you want to go into, like the food and drink industry. You'll usually receive specific training on the job, but will need to have laboratory skills and some experience of working in a lab.

Some large pharmaceutical and medical companies offer structured graduate training programmes, and some employers may support you to complete a postgraduate qualification. Competition is strong for a place on a training scheme.

Skills

You'll need to have:

an aptitude for bioscience
an enquiring mind and the ability to work with abstract concepts
organisational and planning skills with the ability to plan ahead while delivering to deadline
problem-solving skills
good hand-eye coordination and the ability to use technical equipment with accuracy
excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
the ability to analyse and interpret statistical and technical data
patience, and the ability to work methodically and meticulously when following scientific techniques and company procedures
the ability to work well as both part of a team and independently
good computer skills to record data and write scientific reports
a creative and innovative approach to work
excellent attention to detail.

Work experience

Try to get work experience in a laboratory or research setting as this will significantly improve your chances of getting a job when you graduate. Although large companies tend to advertise formal opportunities, you'll need to make targeted speculative applications to small and medium-sized companies or research units to find out about opportunities. You can also get some experience through work shadowing or insight days and internships.

An industrial placement year can be particularly useful and will help you develop your lab skills as well as a network of contacts.

While any lab experience will be a great help to your career prospects, try to gain experience relevant to your field of interest to enhance your application.

Experience that develops your commercial awareness is also looked on favourably as many employers are keen to employ biotechnologists with an understanding of business.

Find out more about the different kinds of聽work experience and internships聽that are available.

Employers

Large private biotech companies tend to advertise positions with a focus on medical, pharmaceutical and biochemical disciplines, while small and medium-sized enterprises often advertise positions using a different job title.

Jobs are available with:

biotechnology and genetic engineering firms
food and drink manufacturers
environmental and conservation (sewage and waste treatment, fuel, pollutant degradation) companies
government and charity research institutes
horticulture and agriculture organisations (food and drink science)
NHS and private hospitals
pharmaceutical and chemical companies
private clinical research companies (genetics, disease detection, therapy, etc.)
universities and research institutions.

Look for job vacancies at:

Specialist recruitment agencies such as CK Group and SRG also advertise vacancies.

The BIA has a directory of members that can be useful for making speculative applications for jobs or work experience.

Professional development

You'll usually have a general induction, which includes health and safety training and, in some cases, control of substances hazardous to health (COSHH) regulations training. You're also likely to receive specific on-the-job training to develop specific biotechnological techniques relevant to your industry.

You may join a structured graduate training programme, which can take one to three years to complete. Some employers might financially support part-time study for postgraduate qualifications.

You'll be encouraged to undertake continuing professional development (CPD) such as attending conferences and workshops to enhance your technical skills and understanding.

Membership of a professional organisation relevant to your area of specialism is also useful. Membership provides access to training, funding and research opportunities in various areas of biotechnology. Relevant bodies include:

You can also work towards chartership of a relevant professional body and professional registration with the Science Council.

Career prospects

It's possible with experience to progress to a senior scientist position and then into a supervisory or management position. Opportunities for career progression vary depending on the type and size of company you work for, your area of specialism, and your qualifications and skills. You may need to move company in order to move up the career ladder.

Taking additional professional or academic qualifications can increase your career prospects. If you're following a career in academia, it's important to get your research published in journals related to your area of expertise. Securing funding for research projects will also help your career prospects.

With experience, there are opportunities to take on freelance or advisory work. You could also choose to move into a related role such as business development, production, information and data technology, or into a regulatory role.

Alternatively, some biotechnologists move into related careers such as patent attorney, scientific writing and journalism, or into quality assurance management, sales and marketing.

Biotechnologist