| The term "biotech," short for | | | | breeding verification and authentication of |
| "biotechnology," refers to the application | | | | costly food products |
| and manipulation of biological resources to | | | | |
| develop products and processes that fulfill | | | | Bioinformatics |
| industrial and other human objectives. While | | | | |
| popular imagination tends to latch onto | | | | Under this broad heading come:computational |
| controversial fields of biotechnological | | | | biologysupercomputingstatistical and |
| research like DNA typing, cloning, and stem | | | | actuarial functionsdata analysis, data |
| cell research, the fact is that biotechnology | | | | transfer, database creation, and other |
| has commonplace applications ranging from | | | | data-related functions |
| bread production to wastewater recycling that | | | | |
| influence our daily lives. The consequence of | | | | Law |
| this wide reach of biotechnology is that the | | | | |
| number biotech jobs continues to grow faster | | | | With the rise in the use of biotechnology, |
| than the numbers of jobs in other sectors. | | | | openings for biotechnologists have also |
| | | | opened up in the legal field. Openings are |
| The Divisions of Biotech | | | | principally located in the following |
| | | | functional areas:patent specialties and |
| A great number of industries are directly | | | | litigationacademiaethical, social, and legal |
| influenced by biotechnology, and it would be | | | | issuesforensic sciences, including gene |
| difficult to mention all of them in a short | | | | testing for identification purposes |
| article. However, to provide abroader | | | | |
| perspective, jobs in biotechnology can be | | | | Guided Missile Development and Space |
| grouped into three functional categories: | | | | Technology |
| | | | |
| Research and development: Considered by some | | | | Biotechnologists are required in |
| to be the most prestigious division of | | | | organizations engaged in manufacturing guided |
| biotech research and development (R&D) | | | | missiles and space vehicles. Functional areas |
| creates the frontiers ofbiotechnology and | | | | include:creation of closed artificial |
| sets the paradigms that influence both | | | | environmentscreation of life-supporting |
| humanity and the biotech job market. The | | | | equipment and systemsresearch into the |
| three major divisions of biotechnological R&D | | | | effects of space on biological |
| are research for discoveries, veterinary | | | | systemscybernetics |
| sciences, and bioinformatics. Jobs in this | | | | |
| sector are usually reserved for life | | | | Engineering |
| scientists. | | | | |
| | | | There are many opportunities for |
| Clinical research and safety: Once a | | | | biotechnologists in the field of engineering. |
| functional process or product is developed by | | | | Biotechnologists working in this area may be |
| R&D, the necessity to establish trials to | | | | involved in:designing bioprocessing |
| determine the impact of the product or | | | | containers and equipmentcreating new energy |
| process on public health and safety emerges. | | | | sources such as biofuelsbiomedical |
| Biotechnologists working in this field ensure | | | | engineering |
| the safety of biotechnological products and | | | | |
| processes. | | | | Education |
| | | | |
| Compliance: Issues of compliance with respect | | | | Obviously a need for biotechnologists who can |
| to biotechnological products and processes-in | | | | teach will always exist. Types of |
| terms of both quality and standards and rules | | | | opportunities available in biotechnological |
| established by thestate-create openings for | | | | education reflect the needs ofuniversities |
| biotechnologists. | | | | and traditional academic structure. |
| | | | |
| Openings for biotechnologists are also | | | | Besides the above fields, there are myriad |
| available in the following specific areas and | | | | other divisions of applied biotechnology, |
| functional fields: | | | | including life-science research, |
| | | | anthropology, history, military, |
| Medicine and Pharmaceuticals | | | | bio-sciencecommunication, and chemical |
| | | | manufacturing. |
| In this broad field, the following functional | | | | |
| areas need biotechnologists:genetics, | | | | Biotech Job Designations |
| including medical genetics, genetic | | | | |
| counseling, and genetic nursingorgan | | | | Biotech job designations are as varied as the |
| transplantation, reproduction, and | | | | fields in which biotechnology finds |
| regenerative medicinepublic health and | | | | application. Though designations can reflect |
| safety, which includes projects ranging from | | | | the imagination of the employer, some |
| vaccine development to wastewater treatment | | | | standard, industry-recognized designations |
| by bacterial coloniesgene testing and genetic | | | | that are related to biotechnology or the |
| therapy | | | | application of biotechnical knowledge are |
| | | | veterinary assistant, veterinarian, |
| Agriculture | | | | technician, technologist, chemist, |
| | | | pharmacologist, laboratory technician, |
| Under the broad heading of agriculture, the | | | | chemical technician, engineer, computer |
| following functional areas rely on the | | | | system analyst, health service worker, |
| application of biotechnology and consequently | | | | physician, biological scientist, |
| are the areas where biotech jobs are to be | | | | biotechnologist, and agricultural technician. |
| found:development of genetically modified | | | | One's designation depends on the |
| variations of plants and seeds development of | | | | organization, industry, and sector in which |
| biological pesticides and nutrition | | | | he or she works, and job designations can be |
| identification and protection of | | | | superficially misleading. |
| endangeredspecies, including artificial | | | | |