Biologist
Study living things like plants and animals to increase our knowledge about them, the environment and genetics.
About the job
What it's like
You'd study living things, such as plants, animals and the world around them, to increase our knowledge and understanding of them, the environment and genetics.
You would:
design and carry out experiments
make observations
write reports and publish scientific papers based on your research
You could work in variety of areas.
You might help to develop new methods to diagnose, monitor and treat illness or disease.
You could help to tackle environmental problems, such as finding ways to clean up polluted rivers so that fish can thrive and to conserve plants and animals in their natural environment.
In agriculture and industry, for example, you might work on ways to:
improve productivity of livestock or crops,
prevent contamination of food
safely get rid of waste
You could also specialise in related fields such as:
ecology
marine biology
biotechnology
immunology
molecular biology
microbiology
You'd often work in a team with other scientists and technicians, and you may supervise support staff and carry out administration work.
To help your research it would be useful to have an understanding of statistics and relevant computer packages. You’d also need to keep up to date with advances in your field.
If you were based at a university or teaching hospital, you'd teach and mentor students.
Green job
In this job you'll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Hours
You'll usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, with occasional evening and weekend shifts.
Environment
Depending on your specialist area of work, you could be based in a laboratory, a classroom, in industry or on a research vessel at sea. Fieldwork can sometimes take place in challenging conditions.
Explore more information about this job
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Life sciences
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- analysing
- taking initiative
- sorting
- attention to detail
- researching
- observation
- problem solving
- innovative
- working with technology
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Biology
Chemistry
Human Biology
Science
Skills for Work: Laboratory Science
Foundation Apprenticeship: Scientific Technologies (Laboratory Skills)
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You'd need a degree (SCQF Level 9/10) in a subject such as:
biology
biological science
plant biology
microbiology
conservation biology
ecology
marine biology
Many people who do this job also have postgraduate qualifications such as a Master of Science (MSc) (SCQF Level 11) or a doctoral degree (SCQF Level 12) in a relevant subject.
Some universities offer an integrated master's degree in biology (SCQF Level 11) combining a degree with a master's over five years.
There are some technician level jobs based in laboratories which don't require a degree. However, competition for any role within this profession is fierce.
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Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Biologist'
