From the smallest living cell to the largest animals and plants, life scientists study living organisms and their life processes. Life scientists usually work in one of three broad areas: agriculture, biology, or medicine.
About two-fifths of all life scientists are involved in research and development—doing basic research or applying it in medicine, increasing agricultural yields, and improving the environment. Others hold management and administrative positions in zoos and botanical gardens and in programs dealing with the testing of foods and drugs. Some work in technical sales and service jobs for industrial firms or work as consultants to business and government.
Some life scientists call themselves biologists, but the usual method of classification is according to type of organism studied or the specific activity performed. Botanists deal with plants—studying, classifying, and developing cures for plant disease. Agronomists work with food crops to increase yields, to control disease, pests, and weeds, and to prevent soil erosion. Horticulturists are concerned with orchard and garden plants such as fruit and nut trees, vegetables, and flowers.
Zoologists, who study animal life, have tides that reflect the group they study: ornithologists study birds, entomologists study insects, and mammologists study mammals. Animal husbandry specialists are involved in breeding, feeding, and controlling disease in domestic animals. Embryologists study the development of animals from fertilized egg through the birth or hatching process.
Microbiologists investigate the growth and characteristics of microscopic organisms such as bacteria, viruses, and molds. Medical microbiologists study the relationship between bacteria and disease and the effects of antibiotics on bacteria.
Pathologists study the effect of diseases, parasites, insects, or drugs on human cells and tissue. Pharmacologists test the effect of drugs, gases, poisons, and other substances on animals and use the results of their research to develop new or improved drugs and medicines.
Anatomists, ecologists, geneticists, and nutritionists are also life scientists. Many of these life scientists are employed in colleges and universities usually in medical schools and state agricultural colleges. Some of these professionals are employed by the federal government, almost all of them in the Department of Agriculture. The remainder is employed by private industry in drug, food products, and agricultural-related industries.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Life scientists work throughout the United States, with the largest concentrations in metropolitan areas.
Most life scientists work in laboratories; some jobs, however, require outdoor work and strenuous physical labor. Working hours may be irregular in some specialties due to the nature of the research or activity under way.
Qualifications, Education and Training
The ability to work independently and to function as part of a team is necessary for a career in the life sciences. Good communication skills are also necessary. Physical stamina is necessary in some of the specialty areas that require outdoor work.
High school courses should include as much science and mathematics as possible.
Almost all liberal arts programs include a biology major, and life science students should also include chemistry and physics courses. Some colleges offer bachelor's degrees in specific life sciences; many state universities offer programs in agricultural specialties. A bachelor's degree is adequate preparation for testing and inspection jobs and for advanced technician jobs in the medical field. With courses in education, it is also adequate background for high school teaching positions.
An advanced degree is required for most jobs in the life sciences. A master's degree is sufficient for some jobs in applied research and college teaching, but a Ph.D. is required for most teaching positions at the college level, for independent research, and for many administration jobs. A health-science degree is necessary for some jobs in the medical field.
Requirements for advanced degrees usually include field work and laboratory research.
Potential and Advancement
Job opportunities in the life sciences will increase, but some fields will be better than others. The most growth will be in private industry, in genetic and biotechnical research, in efforts to clean up and preserve the environment, and in health-related research. There will be slow growth in the employment of life scientists in the federal government.
Advancement in this field depends on experience and is usually limited to those with advanced degrees.
Income
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean salary for all life scientists was $79,870 as of 2015.
Related Jobs
Related jobs include biochemist, environmentalist, oceanographer, soil scientist, veterinarian, zoologist, wildlife biologist, urban and regional planner, survey researcher, physicist, astronomer, microbiologist, medical scientist, hydrologist, geoscientist, geological and petroleum technician, geographer, forest and conservation technician, forensic science technician, epidemiologist, environmental scientist, conservation scientist, forester, chemist, materials scientist , chemical technician, biological technician, biochemist, biophysicist, atmospheric scientist, anthropologist, archeologist, and agricultural and food scientist.
