What You'll Do

  • Examine physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics, using microscope, to identify and classify microorganisms in human, water, and food specimens.
  • Provide laboratory services for health departments, community environmental health programs, and physicians needing information for diagnosis and treatment.
  • Observe action of microorganisms upon living tissues of plants, higher animals, and other microorganisms, and on dead organic matter.
  • Investigate the relationship between organisms and disease, including the control of epidemics and the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.
  • Supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists.
  • Study growth, structure, development, and general characteristics of bacteria and other microorganisms to understand their relationship to human, plant, and animal health.
  • Prepare technical reports and recommendations, based upon research outcomes.
  • Study the structure and function of human, animal, and plant tissues, cells, pathogens, and toxins.
  • Use a variety of specialized equipment, such as electron microscopes, gas and high-pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence-activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers.
  • Conduct chemical analyses of substances such as acids, alcohols, and enzymes.

Essential Skills

Science 4.62/5
Reading Comprehension 4.12/5
Writing 4.0/5
Critical Thinking 4.0/5
Active Listening 3.88/5
Speaking 3.88/5
Active Learning 3.88/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.75/5
Learning Strategies 3.62/5
Monitoring 3.62/5
Complex Problem Solving 3.62/5
Mathematics 3.12/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Analyst: Investigating problems and finding patterns keeps you engaged.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Intellectual Curiosity, Dependability, Cautiousness, Innovation

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Written Comprehension 4.25/5
Written Expression 4.12/5
Inductive Reasoning 4.12/5
Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Problem Sensitivity 4.0/5
Deductive Reasoning 4.0/5
Category Flexibility 4.0/5

Technologies & Tools

Assistant Software for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Interpretation ASASI Basic Local Alignment Search Tool BLAST BD Biosciences CellQuest BD Biosciences CloneCyt Bruker Optics OPUS BtB Software Mycobacteriology Lab Codon Usage Database ComBase Computer Service & Support CLS-2000 Laboratory System Computing Solutions LabSoft LIMS Micro Database management software DM2 Bills of Lading Email software FindTarget FramePlot Gene Finder Gene recognition software Genie Interactive Image capture and analysis software Laboratory information management system LIMS

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 5.0/5)
  • Intellectual Curiosity (High importance: 5.0/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.77/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.59/5)
  • Innovation (High importance: 4.51/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

Take Free 15-Min Assessment →

How to Become One

Most employers require a bachelor's degree in a relevant field. Some positions may also require experience through internships, co-ops, or entry-level work to strengthen your candidacy.

Similar Careers to Explore

Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers

99.6% similar profile

Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers

99.6% similar profile

Biochemists and Biophysicists

99.4% similar profile

Animal Scientists

99.3% similar profile

Hydrologists

99.3% similar profile

Materials Scientists

99.2% similar profile

Soil and Plant Scientists

99.1% similar profile

Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists

99.1% similar profile

Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Bacteriologist Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist) Clinical Microbiologist Cytologist Electron Microscopist Medical Lab Scientist (Medical Laboratory Scientist) Medical Microbiologist Medical Technologist Microbiological Analyst Microbiologist Microbiology Analyst Microbiology Scientist Microbiology Specialist Microscopist Pharmaceutical Microbiologist Public Health Microbiologist QA Microbiologist (Quality Assurance Microbiologist) Quality Control Microbiologist (QC Microbiologist) Quality Control Microbiology Analyst (QC Microbiology Analyst) Research Microbiologist Research Specialist Virologist

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.