Have you ever tried making beer or bread? To produce food, both processes use yeast, a living organism. Biotechnology is based on the same concept, but on a larger scale and with more complex processes.
Biotechnology is widely used in a variety of major industries, including agriculture and health care. Biotech applications can be used to produce commodity chemicals, biofuels, and other industrial goods.
Do you aspire to be a biotechnology researcher or just explore the field? In either case, you’ve come to the right place! This blog discusses how to become a biotechnology researcher along with the skills required, colleges and courses, salary, and top companies for the career. Follow the step-by-step guide in the blog to become a biotechnology researcher.
Who is a biotechnology researcher?
A biotechnology researcher contributes significantly to the future of life. A biotechnology researcher is a type of scientific research professional with advanced training in biotechnology, biomedical engineering, biology, biochemistry, or other related fields.
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How to become a biotechnology researcher?
Step 1: Stream to select
Students are advised to choose the Science stream with Biology as one of their subjects in order to become biotechnology researchers. Because biotechnology is the application of biology to the solution of problems and the creation of useful products.
Step 2: Educational qualifications
Biotechnology researchers all hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. The majority of them have a degree in a field related to biotechnology, biomedical engineering, biochemistry, biology, or physics.
How to become a biotechnology researcher after 10th?
Students should read scientific publications about biotechnology and conduct research to learn more. The ability to conduct research is a very useful life skill that can help students gather and analyse information, build knowledge, think critically, and exercise their minds, all of which will help them become good biotechnology researchers.
How to become a biotechnology researcher after 12th?
To become an entry-level biotechnology researcher (such as a junior-level research associate or a laboratory technologist), you must have a bachelor’s degree.
For a research job, candidates with certificates from National Level entrance exams such as ARS NET, JRF, GATE, CSIR NET, ICMR, and DBT NET are given preference.
UG courses to become a biotechnology researcher in India:
Course | Duration |
BTech in Biological engineering | 4 years |
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. Research) | 4 years |
Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology | 4 years |
B.Tech Biological Sciences and Bioengineering | 4 years |
B.Tech Biotechnology | 4 years |
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Top UG colleges to become a biotechnology researcher in India:
Name of Institution | Location |
Indian Institute of Technology | Madras |
Indian Institute of Science | Bengaluru |
Indian Institute of Technology | Delhi |
Indian Institute of Technology | Kharagpur |
Indian Institute of Technology | Kanpur |
Jawaharlal Nehru University | New Delhi |
Indian Institute of Technology | Roorkee |
Indian Institute of Technology | Guwahati |
Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi |
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Coimbatore |
UG courses to become a biotechnology researcher abroad:
Course | Duration |
B.Sc in Biochemistry | 4 years |
BA in Biochemistry | 4 years |
B.Sc Biochemistry and Cell Biology | 4 years |
B.Sc Biotechnology | 3 years |
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Top UG colleges to become a biotechnology researcher abroad:
Name of Institution | Location |
University of Oxford | Oxford |
University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia |
University of California (UCLA) | Los Angeles |
Duke University | Durham |
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich | Munich |
University of California San Diego | San Diego |
The University of Texas | Austin |
The University of Manchester | Manchester |
Washington University in St. Louis | Missouri |
The Australian National University | Canberra |
Step 3: Certification courses and project courses
After completing the degree, students can enrol in the courses listed below to improve their skills as biotechnology researchers.
- Certificate in Biotechnology
- Certificate in Industrial Biotechnology
- Bacterial Genomes I: From DNA to Protein Function Using Bioinformatics
- Applications of Biotechnology
- Bacterial Genomes II: Accessing and Analysing Microbial Genome Data Using Artemis
- BioMEMS and Microsystems
- Applications of interactomics using Genomics and proteomics technologies
- Experimental Biochemistry
- Biotechnology: Antibodies & their role in Therapeutics
- Industrial Biotechnology
- Biotechnology: GENE EDITING TECHNIQUES CRISPR, ZINC FINGER
- Algae Biotechnology
- Systems Biology and Biotechnology Specialization
- Genes and the Human Condition (From Behavior to Biotechnology)
- Patenting in Biotechnology
- Bachelor’s degrees take three or four years to complete with respect to the selected course.
- Master’s degrees typically take two years to complete.
- PhDs can take up to seven years, depending on the length of your dissertation.
Step 4: How to prepare for the job?
- Start with the right classes: Those interested in a career in biotechnology can begin by taking several biology or chemistry classes in high school. Students must also enrol in courses that provide advanced credit.
- Complete an Internship: An internship gives you firsthand experience with the types of work that biotechnologists do on a daily basis. Internships can also help you stand out when applying to graduate programmes, particularly if you lack professional experience in the field.
- Gain experience: Learning a job with practical knowledge in the field can look good on a CV, and it also allows students to decide which area of biotechnology they are interested in.
- Remain updated: Technology is evolving and changing at a rapid pace. Some biotechnology fields are evolving so quickly that they can change at any time. As a result, you must be changed.
- Seek out new opportunities in the field: Biotechnology careers can sometimes overlap. A soil and plant scientist, for example, may choose to be an agricultural or food scientist, and their education may support both options. Finding new opportunities can help you expand your current profession and lead to incredible opportunities.
8 most important skills for becoming a biotechnology researcher
- Understanding of research methods
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Analytical abilities
- Knowledge of research equipment
- Attention to detail
- Advanced knowledge of biotechnology concepts
- Problem-solving abilities
Salary of a biotechnology researcher:
Salary In India
Biotechnology researchers with less than one year of experience can expect to earn an average annual compensation (tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of ₹505,652.
Salary Abroad
The following are some entry-level biotechnology researcher salaries from around the world.
Country | Annual Salary |
United States | $85,670 |
Germany | €47,889 |
France | €37,000 |
Singapore | S$59,055 |
Switzerland | 95,160 Fr |
Japan | ¥4,720,000 |
Italy | 4€30,000 |
United Kingdom (UK) | £24,488 |
Spain | €22,192 |
Canada | C$60,50 |
Top 10 recruiters in India
- Serum Institute Of India
- Panacea Biotech Ltd.
- Biocon Ltd.
- Novo Nordisk
- SIRO Clinpharm
- Novozymes South Asia
- Shantha Biotech
- Indian Immunologiocals
- GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
- Wockhardt Ltd.
Top 10 recruiters abroad
- Johnson & Johnson
- Pfizer
- Roche
- GlaxoSmithKline
- AstraZeneca
- Teva Pharmaceuticals
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
- AbbVie
- Merck
- Sanofi
More about biotechnology
If you’ve arrived at this point in the blog, it can only mean one thing: you like biotechnology researchers and may one day become one yourself! As a bonus, a few Instagram accounts on biotechnology are included here. Check them out and have fun exploring more!
- @biotech.bae
- @biotechnologyguy
- @thebiomics
- @thebiotechguy
- @microbiologynotes
- @world_of_biotechnologist
- @biotech_verse
- @crisprclassroom
- @future_biotechnology
The road to becoming a biotechnology researcher is not easy, but it can be extremely rewarding. Consider how biotechnology researchers’ work helped to save the world from the COVID pandemic. We hope that this article will assist you in taking the necessary steps to become a biotechnology researcher. Continue to learn and have fun researching!
FAQs about how to become a Biotechnology Researcher
What qualifications do I need to be a biotechnology researcher?
Ans: Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology or a related science field such as chemistry or biology are typically qualified for entry-level positions. A graduate degree and several years of professional experience are usually required for advancement in the field.
How many years does it take to become a biotechnologist?
Ans: Graduate programmes typically last 3 to 4 years, postgraduate programmes last 2-3 years, and integrated M.Sc/M.Tech programmes last 5 years.
How can I become a researcher after MSc biotechnology?
Ans: If you have a Masters degree in Biotechnology, you will have an easier time finding a research position. However, candidates who have qualified for National Level entrance exams such as ARS NET, JRF, GATE, CSIR NET, ICMR, and DBT NET are given priority.
Can I become researcher after BSc biotechnology?
Ans: Working as a biotechnology researcher almost always necessitates a master’s degree or a PhD. Although you can work as a biotechnology researcher with a bachelor’s degree and extensive work experience, most employers now require at least a master’s degree. If you want to be a principal researcher or direct your own research, a PhD is usually required.
Which field is best in biotechnology?
Ans: Trained biotechnology professionals can pursue a variety of opportunities in academia, research, and industry, including
1. Healthcare
2. Disease diagnostic
3. Genetic Engineering
4. Mariculture/Aquaculture
5. Food and Nutrition
6. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
7. Desert Biotechnology
8. Industrial Biotechnology
9. Cosmetics R and D
10. Bioinformatics
11. Nano Biotech
12. Textile Industry
13. Agriculture and Environment biotechnology