The burgeoning fields of biosciences and biotechnology are exciting and complex. This section of our Web site is intended as a resource to help those who are new to these fields of science, but interested in learning more. Please let us know what we can do to make this section more helpful to you.
The biosciences are one of the most active growth sectors in the world economy, with over 5,000 companies and a market that has vaulted from $8 billion in 1992 to $40 billion in 2005. This is expected to triple in the coming decade. As a result, there are ample career opportunities in the biosciences that offer a wide variety and choices for all education levels.
In the past eight years, the biosciences employment base in Arizona has grown by 80 percent, outpacing national growth trends. In addition, there has been a flurry of new initiatives and institutions providing high growth and high wage jobs research efforts including our own at the the Biodesign Institute at ASU, Bio5 at the University of Arizona, the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, and two newly acquired genomics programs – the International Genomics Consortium (IGC) and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). These new institutes and academic initiatives have leveraged strong collaborative networks with healthcare institutions including the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, Barrow Neurological Institute, and Banner Health Systems in order to build a strong biomedical research base.
There is an opportunity for everyone in the biosciences of Arizona:
High school graduates: Careers in animal care or plant care, lab facility maintenance, lab assistants
Community college-AA/AS degrees: Certificate programs in biosciences can lead to careers as lab technicians, lab assistants, research assistants, media preparation, packaging officers, greenhouse technician, sterilization technician, quality control assistants, aquatic technician, validation technician, and manufacturing assistants.
Undergraduate degrees: These positions typically require BA/BS degrees in biology, chemistry, computer sciences, engineering, physics or other physical or interdisciplinary sciences such as bioinformatics.
Opportunities include:
Environmental health and safety officers, patent agent, bioinformatics, research associates, imaging specialists, forensic technologist, quality control analysts, GLP/GMP officers, fisheries biologist, environmental health and safety specialist, biostatistician, plant breeder, criminal intelligence specialists, genetic counselor, entomologist, technical recruiter, public relations, graphic design, scientific illustrators, quality control inspectors, aquaculture, bioengineer, agricultural biotechnologist, bioanalytical chemist, quality assurance specialist, manufacturing technician, pilot plant manufacturing operator, patent administrator
Graduate School: Typically required for higher or senior-level positions in biosciences such as an MA, MS or PhD, JD, DVM, MBA or MD.
Career opportunities include:
Teachers, physicians, lab managers, associate scientists, scientists (lab directors), university professors, clinical programmer, director of research and development, clinical research manager, field application scientist, medical writer, research scientist, senior scientist, director of regulatory affairs, director of marketing, fermentation scientist, R &D chemist, paleontologist, bioethicists, environmental regulatory scientists, vetererinarians, bioremediation engineer, agricultural research scientist, bioprocessing engineer, patent agent and patent lawyer, intellectual property lawyer.
