Biologists & Biological Technologists
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Biologists conduct research to learn more about living organisms and ecosystems, manage natural resources, and develop new practices and products in such diverse fields as environmental conservation, medicine, pharmacology, forestry, forensics, nanotechnology, biosynthesis and pest control. (alis)
Biological technicians do routine analysis and technical work in the field, lab or both. They provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers. They may work in agriculture, environmental science, resource management, plant and animal biology, microbiology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, or health sciences. (alis)
There are many different biology specializations and types of biologists. In addition to the resources below, view the list of biologists in the 'Related Occupations' section (bottom of the page) to locate more specialized information.
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- O*NET Online - Biologists U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- ECO Canada profiles - Conservation Biologist, Wetland Biologist, Restoration Biologist, and more
- BioTalent Canada's Bio-Economy career profiles - Chief Scientific Officer, Regulator Affairs Specialist, Clinical Research Assistant, and more
- BioTalent Canada's BioCareer Pathways - for Lab Workers, Research Assistant, Research Scientist, and more
- Biology Career Overview - from the Sloan Career Cornerstone Center
- A Day in the Life of a Biologist - The Princeton Review (U.S.)
- A Day in the Life of a Research Technician - The Princeton Review (U.S.)
- Careers in the Biological Sciences - from the American Institute of Biological Sciences
- A day in the life of a cell biologist - from Nature: International journal of science
- Interview: Research Biologist - from Scitable by Nature Education
- Article: How work as a research technician can bolster your scientific career - Nature
- UM Career Mentor profile - Biologist & Environmental Assessment Project Manager
- Let's Talk Science Career Profiles:
- Discover your Future in Healthcare: Health Researcher (video) - University of Manitoba
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit the faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities.
- Department of Biological Sciences - Faculty of Science
- Department of Environment and Geography - Faculty of Earth, Environment & Resources
- Faculty of Agricultural & Food Science - offers programs in Agroecology, Agronomy, Plant Biotechnology, Animal Systems
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Canada Job Bank - Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region)
- Canada Job Bank - Career Planning - Fields of Study - facts and figures for Biology (Diploma, Bachelor's, Master's)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations
Professional associations organize events and directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities are also available. This is a great way to learn and network.
- The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology
- Canadian Society of Environmental Biologists
- Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences
- Canadian Society of Microbiologists
- Canadian Society of Plant Biologists
- Council of State Biosciences Associations (U.S.)
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- BioTalent Canada - Human resource info & biotechnology skills development
- BIOTE Canada member listing - Canada’s health, industrial and agricultural biotechnology sectors
- Biosciences Association of Manitoba - members
- Innovative Medicines Canada - corporate members
- Manitoba Environmental Industry Association - Member Directory
- Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Canada
- Association of Zoos and Aquariums (North America) - list of accredited zoos and aquariums
- Research Facilities Navigator - from the Canada Foundation for Innovation
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
External resources that will provide you with additional information about the occupation, areas of work and opportunities to build experience:
- WISE Kid-netic Energy- University of Manitoba outreach program that offers hands on, curriculum based science, engineering and technology deliverables for youth in Kindergarten through grade 12
- Nature Manitoba
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada - view 'Students and Fellows' programs
- Science Careers magazine - American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Scitable by NatureEducation - library of career planning and other articles
- American Association for the Advancement of Science - also publishes Science magazine
- Jobs in the Industry: a day in the life of a medical science liaison - The Centre for Blood Researcher at UBC