Occupation: 19-1020

Molecular and Cellular Biologists

Statistics
National
State
City
State
City
$93330
Median Wage (USD, 2024)
4800
Projected Job Openings (2024-2034)
1.2%
Projected Growth (2024-2034)
Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization.

Experience Requirements Overview

  • Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
  • Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
  • Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
  • Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree

Related Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Detailed Work Activities

  • Manage scientific or technical project resources.
  • Develop new or advanced products or production methods.
  • Inspect equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Establish standards for medical care.
  • Coordinate cross-disciplinary research programs.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

  • Maintain accurate laboratory records and data.
  • Design molecular or cellular laboratory experiments, oversee their execution, and interpret results.
  • Write grant applications to obtain funding.
  • Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis.
  • Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Initiative

Adaptability

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Humility

Sincerity

Sincerity

Empathy

Empathy

Cooperation

Cooperation

Optimism

Optimism

Social Orientation

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Dependability

Integrity

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.