What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Biological Scientists, All Other in the U.S. earn more than $98,920 a year — the middle 80% land between $60,430 and $168,010. About 55,850 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Biological Scientists, All Other”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$98,920typical pay / year
55,850people in this work
$168,010+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing4
Conduct research in biology
+Design and run the cell-based assays comparing three candidate formulations for solubility and cytotoxicity,…
Conduct research in biology
+Design and run the cell-based assays comparing three candidate formulations for solubility and cytotoxicity, record methods and raw data, perform basic statistical analysis, then summarise results and next-step experiments for the team meeting on Wednesday.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Perform tests and experiments
+Run the stability and dissolution battery for formula B12 using the standard protocol: prepare triplicate…
Perform tests and experiments
+Run the stability and dissolution battery for formula B12 using the standard protocol: prepare triplicate samples, record raw instrument outputs, perform assay at 0, 24, and 72 hours, and flag any deviation beyond acceptance criteria for immediate review.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCOjob descriptionsWikipedia
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Observe organism behaviors and habitats
+Spend the morning observing the cultured microbe plates in Room 3A: note colony morphology, movement, and…
Observe organism behaviors and habitats
+Spend the morning observing the cultured microbe plates in Room 3A: note colony morphology, movement, and substrate use every two hours, photograph any unusual behaviour, and add habitat conditions to the lab notebook for correlation with assay results.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Collect samples and measurements
+Collect ten serum samples from the test cohort today, label each with subject ID and time, run the calibrated…
Collect samples and measurements
+Collect ten serum samples from the test cohort today, label each with subject ID and time, run the calibrated spectrophotometer for absorbance, record measurements in the lab sheet, and deliver aliquots to the QC fridge within 30 minutes of collection.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record1
Prepare research reports and presentations
+Draft the research report on excipient interactions: compile methods and results, create three figures…
Prepare research reports and presentations
+Draft the research report on excipient interactions: compile methods and results, create three figures showing dissolution profiles, write a two‑page discussion linking observations to formulation choices, and prepare a ten‑slide presentation for Tuesday's group meeting.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work21
Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.
+Store raw assay files, clean and normalise the measurement columns, run the planned statistical comparisons…
Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.
+Store raw assay files, clean and normalise the measurement columns, run the planned statistical comparisons and regressions, then deliver a validated dataset and a one-page methods summary to James in data management by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsO*NET
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Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists.
+Assign weekly tasks to the bench team, review yesterday's plate results and deviations, reallocate two…
Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists.
+Assign weekly tasks to the bench team, review yesterday's plate results and deviations, reallocate two technicians to the stability study, and send the updated rota and risk notes to Laura in operations before 09:00 Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Write grant proposals to obtain funding for biological research.
+Draft the application narrative explaining aims, experimental plan, preliminary data and budget…
Write grant proposals to obtain funding for biological research.
+Draft the application narrative explaining aims, experimental plan, preliminary data and budget justification, attach the two key pilot datasets and methods appendix, and submit the packet to Dr. Patel for review by Friday afternoon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Prepare requests for proposals or statements of work.
+Write a clear statement of work describing scope, deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria and reporting…
Prepare requests for proposals or statements of work.
+Write a clear statement of work describing scope, deliverables, milestones, acceptance criteria and reporting frequency for the excipient screening study, then send it to procurement and Legal for comments by next Thursday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET
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Represent employer in a technical capacity at conferences.
+Prepare a 12-minute talk with three slides: problem statement, formulation data and next steps, draft speaker…
Represent employer in a technical capacity at conferences.
+Prepare a 12-minute talk with three slides: problem statement, formulation data and next steps, draft speaker notes with expected questions about stability and safety, and send the slide deck to conference organisers and to Maria by Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointO*NET
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Prepare plans for management of renewable resources.
+Assemble a management plan for renewable lab consumables showing projected use, suppliers, waste reduction…
Prepare plans for management of renewable resources.
+Assemble a management plan for renewable lab consumables showing projected use, suppliers, waste reduction steps and a six-month procurement timeline, then circulate it to Facilities and Procurement by the end of the month.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Use laboratory equipment to develop or improve chemical-based products
+Develop and iterate the capsule suspension formula using lab scales, the homogeniser, and dissolution tester…
Use laboratory equipment to develop or improve chemical-based products
+Develop and iterate the capsule suspension formula using lab scales, the homogeniser, and dissolution tester to reach targeted dissolution at 30 minutes and 95% potency, record conditions and anomalies in the lab notebook, then schedule a stability run.
The tools that do the workLinuxESCO
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Compile reports
+Compile the batch development report summarising methods, raw assay results, impurity profiles, and deviation…
Compile reports
+Compile the batch development report summarising methods, raw assay results, impurity profiles, and deviation notes, include the final formulation table and chromatograms, then produce a signed PDF for regulatory filing by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Maintain laboratory stock
+Audit and restock the reagent and excipient inventory, prioritise critical buffers and APIs under two weeks…
Maintain laboratory stock
+Audit and restock the reagent and excipient inventory, prioritise critical buffers and APIs under two weeks of stock, update lot numbers and expiry dates on the inventory sheet, and raise purchase requests to procurement before Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Measure salinity, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life.
+Collect water at Site A and Site B this morning, measure salinity, pH, light intensity, dissolved oxygen and…
Measure salinity, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life.
+Collect water at Site A and Site B this morning, measure salinity, pH, light intensity, dissolved oxygen and temperature with calibrated meters, record instrument IDs and sample times, and produce a table showing conditions and any anomalies for team review by 4pm.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Develop pest management and control measures, and conduct risk assessments related to pest exclusion, using scientific methods.
+Survey the production suites this week, inspect entry points and bait stations, quantify pest sightings and…
Develop pest management and control measures, and conduct risk assessments related to pest exclusion, using scientific methods.
+Survey the production suites this week, inspect entry points and bait stations, quantify pest sightings and exclusion gaps, score the risk for each zone, and draft a control plan with recommended treatments and timelines for the facilities manager by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Analyze research data
+Compile the recent assay outputs, clean and join the raw columns, run the agreed statistics to compare…
Analyze research data
+Compile the recent assay outputs, clean and join the raw columns, run the agreed statistics to compare formulations, plot the response curves, and produce a one-page summary of results, methods and next-step recommendations for the PI by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Maintain detailed records of observations
+Update the lab observation log today with full protocols, instrument settings, sample IDs, times and any…
Maintain detailed records of observations
+Update the lab observation log today with full protocols, instrument settings, sample IDs, times and any deviations from SOP for the stability runs, index entries so they are searchable, and flag unresolved issues for the QA lead.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Tag and track animal movements
+Fit tags to the ten trial specimens, record tag IDs, deployment locations and times, and track daily GPS or…
Tag and track animal movements
+Fit tags to the ten trial specimens, record tag IDs, deployment locations and times, and track daily GPS or detection logs for four weeks, then produce movement maps and a table of residency times for the ecology team.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISjob descriptions
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Investigate environmental impacts of species
+Conduct habitat surveys around the release site, sample soil and water for contaminants, compare species…
Investigate environmental impacts of species
+Conduct habitat surveys around the release site, sample soil and water for contaminants, compare species abundance against baseline counts, and write a brief impact assessment with mitigation options for the environmental compliance officer by next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Operate scientific equipment
+Run the dissolution tester for batch B-142, record motor speed, tablet weight loss and sample timestamps…
Operate scientific equipment
+Run the dissolution tester for batch B-142, record motor speed, tablet weight loss and sample timestamps every five minutes for one hour, flag any run where dissolution falls below 75% at 30 minutes, then save the raw run log and instrument checklist.
The tools that do the workLinuxjob descriptions
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Study life on Earth, including cells and organisms
+Prepare and incubate HeLa cell cultures for morphology study, note passage number and media changes, harvest…
Study life on Earth, including cells and organisms
+Prepare and incubate HeLa cell cultures for morphology study, note passage number and media changes, harvest at 24 and 48 hours for microscopy and viability assay, and consolidate observations into the notebook entry linked to the sample IDs.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordWikipedia
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Specialize in a particular branch of biology
+Design and run a targeted enzyme kinetics assay for hepatic microsomes, set substrate concentrations, record…
Specialize in a particular branch of biology
+Design and run a targeted enzyme kinetics assay for hepatic microsomes, set substrate concentrations, record reaction rates in triplicate, analyse Km and Vmax, and annotate the protocol with deviations and batch numbers.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsWikipedia
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Advance knowledge about the natural world
+Draft and execute the stability study protocol to test API degradation under 40°C/75% RH, collect samples at…
Advance knowledge about the natural world
+Draft and execute the stability study protocol to test API degradation under 40°C/75% RH, collect samples at 0, 1, 3 and 6 months, log assay results, and prepare a results summary highlighting any impurities that increase over time.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelWikipedia
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Develop applications such as in biotechnology
+Prototype a lipid nanoparticle formulation for siRNA delivery, document excipient ratios, run particle size…
Develop applications such as in biotechnology
+Prototype a lipid nanoparticle formulation for siRNA delivery, document excipient ratios, run particle size and zeta potential measurements, iterate three formulations, and record which changes improve encapsulation efficiency.
The tools that do the workPerlWikipedia
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Work in various sectors like academia, nonprofits, industry, or government
+Compile the quarterly lab performance review for the academic collaboration, include assay throughput, failed…
Work in various sectors like academia, nonprofits, industry, or government
+Compile the quarterly lab performance review for the academic collaboration, include assay throughput, failed runs, reagent spend and headcount changes, attach corrective actions and email the report to Dr. Alvarez and the department administrator by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordWikipedia
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses