Biological Technician

I knew from a young age that I wanted to eventually have a career which positively impacted the individual. When I was six years old, I wanted to be a window washer so I could give people the joy of being able to look outside. When I was in high school, I wanted to be a speech-language pathologist in order to help people exercise their right to speak. I have always observed that I am not the type of person who functions well in an inactive environment. I learn best by doing, and I cannot sit still and watch someone else do it for me. Furthermore, I know I cannot be satisfied in a job environment where I am not physically and mentally challenged on a daily basis. This means I need to work in an environment where I can always push myself to my …show more content…
However, if I plan on staying in California, the median entry level salary is $48,540 per year, with a high chance of a significant increase in pay (ONET). If I am to become a biological technician, I need to obtain a bachelor’s degree in a scientific field such as biology, chemistry, biochemistry, or biomanufacturing. A four-year education is not always required for this position, however, it is a valuable asset which most employers will consider vital to the job. Most employers require at least an associates degree in a related science, or at least a practical certification paired with laboratory experience. ONET states that biological technicians typically need “several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training” (2018). However, it is important to note that not all websites agree on the level of work experience necessary for this job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says no work experience or on the job training is necessary to be a biological technician. Therefore, although work experience is not necessarily essential for employment, to ensure you obtain a position as a biological technician, you should acquire a bachelor of science degree and spend a few years working as a glassware technician or laboratory assistant. Depending on the demand for biological technicians, your personal skill level, and the employer themself, all of these …show more content…
Though Chris is a Senior Program Manager, not a biological technician, he works alongside biological technicians every day at his biotechnology company. He explained that a biological technician can easily advance to a quality or documentation position, a member on a project design team, a project or program manager, and eventually the president or CEO of the company. Besides those positions he listed, a biological technician could expand their focus from production into the research and development stages of the drug creation process. Chris also provided me with some advice, including websites and services which are useful for a biological technician. He advised that as a member of the scientific community, I need to stay on top of the current research and scientific developments in the field. Some of the email subscription services he recommended to me are FierceBiotech, Bio SmartBrief, and Indeed.com. Both of the former send daily updates in biotechnology to your inbox, and the latter can provide insightful information to what companies are hiring. During the interview, we briefly touched upon which organizations are associated with biotechnology, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), schools such as UCSD, and scientific leaders such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Illumina, Invitrogen, and