Entry-level jobs for biology majors include laboratory technician, chemist, biologist, microbiologist, clinical research coordinator, wetland biologist, and high school biology teacher. The best fit depends on the kind of work you want to do and the skills you can show. You have just stepped out of college and earned a degree in biology. But you don’t know what to do after that. Are you not sure which job you should take as a biology student? Well, relax! I will help you out. Here are entry-level jobs For Biology Majors. As a biology graduate, you very well know that biology comprises 2 sections: botany and zoology. First, you need to pick the section that suits you the most, and you want to pursue your career in that path. There are endless options available in both sections.
How to Choose and Apply for an Entry-Level Biology Job
Use the job description to compare the day-to-day work with your interests and experience. A lab-focused role may suit you if you enjoy careful sample handling and recording results; field or wetland work may appeal if you prefer observing organisms and their environment; teaching and research coordination involve different kinds of communication and organization.
- Choose two or three roles from this list and note the tasks that appeal to you most.
- Read several job postings for those roles. Make a checklist of the skills, training, and work examples they ask for.
- Match your coursework, lab assignments, research projects, volunteer work, or other relevant experience to that checklist. Be specific about the methods or equipment you used and the work you completed.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to each role. For example: “Prepared samples, followed written procedures, recorded observations, and summarized results for a class research project.” Only use wording that accurately describes your experience.
Laboratory Technician
If you are more inclined to work in a laboratory setup and have a keen interest in processing and handling specimens, a laboratory technician is a right job. You will be in charge of collecting specimens from patients like bodily fluid samples, hair, and skin and run necessary tests on them as asked by the doctor, lab manager, or lab technologist, under whose supervision you have been assigned to carry out the tests and conduct an analysis of the specimen with chemicals. You can work in a hospital or a private diagnostics center. Your test results help the doctor assess the patient’s condition and consider treatment. The demand for this job is increasing in recent times. According to the balance careers census, a lab technician’s average median salary is $52,330, as estimated in 2018. You will be required to work full time and on evenings, holidays, and weekends depending on your employer’s demands.
Duties Of A Laboratory Technician
- You have to collect the samples from patients.
- You have to prepare the solutions as required to analyze the sample.
- You have to carry out required diagnostic tests on the samples.
- You have to prepare the samples’ test reports and relay them to the patient or doctor, depending on whom you are asked to report to.
- You need to ensure that you maintain your lab equipment and that this equipment meets the current standards’ safety guidelines.
Chemist
As a chemist, your job is to investigate the concentration of chemicals and levels of atoms and molecules in a drug. You can work in a pharmaceutical or drugstore company and develop drugs. You also have an opportunity to work in the forensic department to carry out chemical tests on bodily fluids and other substances found. If you are from an inter-disciplinary course, for example, you have a combined degree in chemistry, biology, or any other related discipline, then it is a bonus for you. You can also prepare the required documents or license to certify a certain product.
Duties Of A Chemist
- You need to formulate new compounds or substances
- You are required to analyze the substances.
- You have to maintain records of all the drugs you are asked to work on.
- You are required to design a model and test the drug or compound you have created on these models to ascertain the strength of the drug or compound.
- You have to conduct chemical tests on the products to determine their quality and prepare documents to license the product.
- You have to find a solution if any issues crop up while working.
- You have to report your results to the concerned authorities.
- Submit technical paperwork to the concerned authorities.
- Team up with scientists and schedule meetings with them to discuss your proceedings on a research project.
- You are required to set standards and specifications for conducting and processing.
- Coordinate with the suppliers to see which products are in demand or out of stock.
Biologist
If biology scientists like Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel have inspired you while studying biology, you too can be biologists like them. Your job as a biologist entails studying life and how they respond to their environment. You analyze how nature functions and how they react to an external stimulus. There are various techniques involved in studying an organism. You can decide if you would like to work in macroscopic biology or microscopic biology. You can also work on fundamental research and applied research. There are various branches of biology that may pique your interest.
- Anatomy (the study of the anatomy of plants, animals, and humans
- Physiology (the study of mechanism and functioning of living organisms)
- Morphology (the study of the structure of living organisms)
- Ecology (the study of the interaction between living organisms and their environment)
- Histology (microscopic study of plant and animal tissues)
- Embryology (the study of embryos )
- Genetics (the study of genes, in other words, when hereditary characters are passed on from one generation to the next)
- Cytology (the study of structure, composition, and function of cells)
- Taxonomy (identifying, classifying, and naming organisms that have similar characteristics)
A biologist earns an average salary of $68,848 per year. The bottom 20 percent of biologists earn $39.2K, while the top 20 percent of biologists earn $120.8K per the census of career explorers.
Treat these figures as estimates rather than guaranteed offers. Pay can differ by location, employer, and the specific job title, so check recent local postings when comparing options.
Microbiologist
If microbiology was your favorite subject in college, you should definitely pursue a microbiologist career. A microbiologist conducts a microscopic study of organisms that causes infections, viruses, fungi, bacteria, and algae. The study of these organisms helps researchers formulate drugs to curb any widespread infection. As a microbiologist, you can work in a laboratory or office for full working hours or half time, depending on your employer. Microbiology is a wide field that also encompasses immunology and biochemistry.
Duties Of A Microbiologist:
- Conduct tests and study of organisms causing infections.
- Collect data and forward it to respective authorities.
- Cultivating microbe cultures
- Prepare research papers, reviews, thesis, etc.
- Maintain the safety standards of your workplace.
- Inspecting to identify the sources of contamination.
- You have to keep up with the latest scientific development and research.
- Ensure the collected data is accurate and is stored orderly.
A microbiologist earns an average salary of $65,127 per year as per Indeed’s census.
Use this estimate as a starting point, not a guaranteed offer. Compare recent local postings and check that the job titles and responsibilities are similar.
Clinical Research Coordinator
This job confers you as a research professional working under a clinical Principal Investigator (PI). The Clinical Research Coordinator studies the clinic’s overall design, facilities, management, and conduct and relays their findings to the Principal Investigator. You provide support to the clinic in these matters. You may also have to report to the departmental heads, administrative division, or program division.
Duties Of A Clinical Research Coordinator:
- You have to design the trial materials for the clinic.
- You have to brief your team on how to investigate the clinic.
- You will also be required to set up study centers for trial.
- You have authorized and verified case report forms.
- You should ethically conduct the trials under the clinical research coordinator’s prescribed guidelines.
- You are also required to conduct a background test of the patient’s medical condition and prepare a care plan to improve the patient’s health.
- You will have to monitor the overall progress of your trial.
Wetland Biologists
As the job title suggests, you maintain and study the wetland environment. You can choose if you want to monitor population levels and population trends of biological life, or you can specialize in a certain type of wetland life. You can also work with wetland specialists to record chemical, ecological, or physical elements of the wetlands. You have the option of working in an office preparing reports and data and forwarding them to the shareholders. Even landowners maintain wetlands. You can work in a conservatorium, schools, zoos, or public environmental protection programs. As you can see, there are a variety of places you can choose to work at. The average median salary as a wetland biologist is $67,460, with the bottom 10 percent of the wetland biologists earning $40,350 and the top 10 percent wetland biologists earning $118,070.
Treat these pay figures as estimates, not guaranteed offers. Check recent local postings and compare the duties as well as the job title when assessing a role.
High School Biology Teacher
What if your passion is biology and teaching, and you were provided with a job that had both these opportunities combined in one? Does your college biology teacher aspire you to be like them? Then you can work as a High School Biology Teacher. They are commonly called Science teachers by their students. As a biology teacher, you are required to have an in-depth knowledge of the subject you are planning to teach. You should be open to teaching all areas of biology and answering the queries of your students. You will also have to undertake some other responsibilities along with teaching your students. You will have to attend parent-teacher meetings, conduct extra lectures for your students, conduct a science fair in your school and help your students organize the science fair. The median annual wage for high school teachers was $64,580 in May 2024; this figure is not specific to biology teachers, and individual pay varies.
When applying, highlight both your biology knowledge and examples of explaining ideas clearly, such as tutoring, presentations, or helping organize a science activity. Check the requirements in each school’s posting and in your area before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which entry-level biology job is best for me? Start with the work setting and tasks you prefer. Compare lab, field, teaching, and research-support roles, then look at postings to see which duties match your interests and experience.
Can I apply if I have little work experience? You can make relevant coursework, lab assignments, research projects, volunteer work, and transferable skills clear on your resume. Describe what you did and the methods or tools you used, without overstating your experience.
How should I tailor my resume for a biology job? Use the posting to identify the most relevant skills, then give a specific example for each one from your coursework, projects, or work history. Keep the examples accurate and focused on the role.
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