Make the Impossible Possible with a Biotech Career

The biotech field has the capabilities to solve the world's biggest social and scientific problems. From creating a cleaner burning auto fuel to producing the next crop of super vegetables, the field of biotechnology is the place to be. Here is a profile of the biotech career and how you can be a part of it.

According to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, biotechnology is defined as "any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use." In layman's terms, the biotech field is one of the coolest careers on the planet. Biotech professionals are tackling the major challenges of our world in hopes of making it better for everyone. If you have an analytical mind and you love to investigate and experiment, a biotech career may be just what you've been searching for. Here are some of the more fascinating discoveries that biotech scientists have made.

A Biotech Career: Life Altering Discoveries

• Human Genome Project. Completed in 2000, the human genome project discovered the biotechnical breakdown of the genes that make up the human genome.
• Rice DNA. The biotech career field did its part to help end world hunger by identifying the DNA composition of rice, a major world food staple.
• Glofish. The first biotech pet, Glofish, was created to help environmentalists detect pollutants in water using a synthetic bioluminescent aura.

The Biotechnology Industry Organization reports that "total employment in the biosciences in the United States reached 1.2 million in 2004, with bioscience workers found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico." And the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts opportunity for biotech career hopefuls.

The Biotech Career Report

• Entry Credentials. Most biotech career positions require only a master's degree for participation in research and reporting.
• High Tech Environment. Biotech professionals use electron microscopes, computers, thermal cyclers, and other high tech equipment.
• Specialize. Biotech career opportunities exist in nearly every industry sector.

Ride the biotech wave and turn your love of science into a lucrative career.

Sources
Biological Scientists, U.S. Department of Labor Statistics
Biotechnology Industry Organization
UN Convention on Biological Diversity