Biotechnologist

Career path and progression

With experience, you could move into areas like:

• project or departmental management
• science communications
• quality assurance
• bioinformatics and data analysis
• freelance consultancy or scientific advisory work
• biotechnology policy and ethics

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

• knowledge of biology
• knowledge of chemistry including the safe use and disposal of chemicals
• maths knowledge
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• analytical thinking skills
• excellent verbal communication skills
• the ability to work well with others
• to be flexible and open to change
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Related subjects

Most relevant

• Biology - Biotechnologists work directly with living organisms – from microbes and plants to human cells and genetics. Understanding how organisms function, how genes are expressed, and how cells grow and divide is fundamental to tasks like developing vaccines, modifying crops, and creating enzymes.
• Chemistry - Biotechnologists use biochemistry daily, working with enzymes, proteins, and chemical reactions at a molecular level. They need to understand how substances interact, how to safely handle chemicals in the lab, and how to analyse the composition of the products they develop.
• Mathematics - Biotechnologists use maths to analyse experimental data, calculate concentrations, and interpret statistical results from trials. Quantitative skills are also essential when scaling up processes from the lab to industrial production.
• Environmental Science - Biotechnologists working in environmental biotechnology use micro-organisms and plants to clean polluted land and water, and develop sustainable alternatives like biodiesel and biodegradable plastics. Understanding ecosystems, pollution, and sustainability is central to this area of the work.

Also relevant

• Physics - Biotechnologists use laboratory equipment like centrifuges, spectrophotometers, and bioreactors that rely on physical principles. Understanding energy, forces, and the behaviour of matter helps when optimising processes and working with analytical instruments.
• Computer Science - Biotechnologists increasingly use bioinformatics – computational tools and programming – to analyse large genetic datasets and model biological systems. Career progression into bioinformatics and data analysis makes understanding algorithms and data handling particularly valuable.
• Food Preparation and Nutrition - Biotechnologists in industrial biotechnology work on food and drink production, cloning enzymes for manufacturing and improving animal feed. Understanding food science, nutrition, and how ingredients behave during processing connects directly to this specialism.
• Engineering - Biotechnologists often work alongside chemical and bioprocess engineers to scale up laboratory discoveries into full-scale manufacturing. Understanding engineering principles helps when designing bioreactors, fermentation systems, and production processes.