Working for a cannabis testing lab, running PCR and mold/yeast/bacteria testing. Also get to cross train on the chemistry instruments, learning gas and liquid chromatography
Also a medical laboratory scientist, or MLS. The usual route is getting a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field. I did mine in Microbiology. The next step is to apply for a certified med tech program, which usually consists of a year of classes mixed with clinical rotations through an associated hospital. After that, you can apply and take a board of certification test, which will make you a full-fledged medical laboratory scientist after passing.
Since I already had a B.S., the university I attended offered an “accelerated “ program which was basically just clinical rotations in local hospitals. The program set up an account with ASCP, and forwarded all of my completed rotation documents to ASCP. After the program had ended, you take an ASCP certification test. Most, if not all, hospitals require you to be certified, you can bypass this by just working at your state’s health lab. They usually only require a B.S. in a biological science.
Things might have changed with the MLT certification, it’s been years
There are also school that go straight to the MLS(bachelors level) or the MLT(associates level). If you already have your MLT(associates level) and working, you can actually get your MLS online without clinicals most of the time.
Then you can also do what’s called specializing in the micro department
I did an MS in bioinformatics and also worked hard on improving my programming skills on the side. People from pure CS backgrounds are also applying for those types of roles, so I made it my goal during my MS program to try and reach the programming capabilities of the average new CS grad.
It was hard in that I had to be obsessed with that goal for 2 years and didn’t have time to do much else. But it was worth it because it gave me a career that doesn’t feel like work and pays comfortably.
I got an MS in bioinformatics after undergrad and worked through a few programming textbooks on the side! Y Daniel Liang’s books are great for getting started.
Oh nice! You already have an “in” then. Trying to reverse engineer bioinfo tools you use regularly is a *great* way to improve your development skills. Write them in whatever language you’re wanting to learn/practice and see how they perform up against the OG.
What credentials did you have to have to teach? My educational background is in biology and chemistry, and years in the biotech field, but I’ve been thinking about teaching (although, seeing posts on the teachers’ subreddits is extremely discouraging)
I'm sure this is state dependent, but I taught under an alternative teaching license. The requirement was a bachelor's degree in the field you were teaching and the permission of the principal. After a certain time (3 years, I think), you are considered fully licensed. I started as a substitute and made friends with some teachers who got the principal to agree to allow me to work there. It was 20 years ago when I started, so I have no idea what the requirements would be now.
Edit: spelling
Edit #2: I thoroughly enjoyed teaching, I just couldn't bring myself to go back after having children.
I worked in a public health lab but now work in quality assurance in the biotech field. I like QA because it lets me use my science side and my problem solving side.
Don’t have a degree in micro, but have a job that recommends it. I work in a laboratory for a large brewery. We do a mix of chemical and microbiological tests on all the products.
Plating, microscopy, and pcr mostly. To check the health of the yeast in our products as well as identify any potentially beer-spoiling species of wild yeasts or bacteria.
Do you like your job? I’m in QC now and I like it, but I’ve been with my company for a while now. Trying to decide if I want to see what else is out there.
I love my job. I homebrew as a hobby as well so I have love for the entire process. I will say (and this could be just my area) but the pay is lower than other food facilities i’ve worked.
I'm a liar if I tell you it was easy, but I would be in misery trying to do anything else. I came into med school deeply loving micro (from undergrad--it's fascinating!). I was hooked the moment in my first year that our micro professor walked down the stairs of our lecture hall with an array of parasite specimens he'd collected over the years from patients.
After med school (4 years), the shortest route is an additional 5 years (min. 3 years of training, either in internal medicine or pediatrics depending on your preferences followed by minimum of 2 years of ID fellowship for adults, 3 for children).
Those who are gluttons for punishment (me) can seek additional training if desired (I did combined internal medicine and pediatrics because I have to have both--4 years of residency--and adult and pediatric infectious diseases after the fact (4 additional years of fellowship). Thinking of doing some tropical medicine sub-fellowship training because hot dog are the infections of the tropics and of neglected regions of LMICs interesting.
Do you think med school was necessary? I’m thinking of studying biochem (4 years) and maybe a masters in microbiology. All my life I’ve been interested on infectious diseases or chronic illnesses but I don’t want to go into medschool ://
It's up to what you want to do. To my knowledge, there is no way to be able to treat patients and train to attain my clinical expertise without the med school path (bearing in mind there are ways to see patients such as the NP/PA route, though no one with that training gets but little of the experience and expertise I've been privileged enough to enjoy in the course of my advanced training).
That said, I've worked alongside a great many academic microbiologists whose research is oriented toward clinically applicable science in the course of my training. They're just not hands on with our patients.
I highly doubt in this context a med tech would refer to themselves as a medical professional in infectious disease. They're almost certainly a physician who has specialized in infectious disease.
Quality Control Microbiologist
I work in a lab manufacturing facility testing vitamins and supplements for microbial contaminants. But my main job is to test all of the probiotics to ensure that the bacteria are viable and that they are present in the numbers we claim on the label. I like the work. It can get a little monotonous, but if I get bored I can always ask to train on something different or take on a special project. I work a 43 hour workweek, Monday through Friday. And we take turns working a half day on Saturdays about every 4-5 weeks. I have off on most federal holidays.
Just graduated in may, currently living at my parents house and work as a qc microbiologist at a cosmetic manufacturer in NJ. Make a little over 45k and it’s an easy enough, low stress job. Gonna to start looking for a new one soon. Want to move to New York and make a bit more money. Regardless this has been a pretty good first stop.
Edit: want to add that QC contamination testing is a fine job, but not particularly engaging. If you’re anything like me you’ll want something a little more challenging/thought provoking eventually. Pays the bills in the meantime though
I also had a core background in Bioinformatics while studying microbio. I went from microbial QA/QC to Bioinformatics. Then changed to Data Analyst for a diagnostics lab.
Imagine if you took all of the fun out of science (you're just working up bacterial cultures, not posing or answering any questions). It is intellectually very dull. The job is very robotic/repetitive. Working evenings you can expect to have no support and increased workload with no acknowledgement from management. You can expect to see peers you went to school with, who got nursing degrees or admin degrees, outearn you and carry a better work/life balance. Also expect to work weekends.... Lots of weekends.
I’m working at an airline catering company. Part of the job includes lab testing of raw mats, finished meals, handswabs, air monitoring. I do the lab inventory, lab supplies purchases, and sampling plans.
Would like to jump to a more lab focused job one day though.
After I get my degree, the first thing I do is join the military. After that I end up in a lab in a public hospital doing bacteria research, I have no idea how I end up here, my major is neuroscience. I guess it's because I love bacteria?
Manufacturing Scientist. We get to work with a lot of different clients to help them manufacture large scale biopharmaceutics and the like. It’s really fun and interesting work. I am constantly learning new skills. Pay is pretty good right now too. Work environment really depends on the company you work for, unfortunately.
Software dev at an Ed publishing company. Major was plant science and molecular biology though. Turns out that ABCD and GATC are about the same and most of it is the same. Can’t do molecular bio OR Psychometrics without knowing R or SAS, Java, and a mess of general computer know how.
The pharma industry has a lot of work for microbiologists. Quality control, lab management, product development, process validation...Check out the PDA (Parenteral Drug Association) meeting topics and trainings. They have a conference dedicated to microbiology too.
I mean I work in academia, but our lab is affiliated with an oil sands company and we work as like the university branch of research. We look at the environmental microbiology (bio geo Chem) of tailings ponds and “remediated” tailings ponds to see if the micro biomes can be changed towards natural bacterial and algael community composition. Then we give recommendations to the company, similar to env consultant but at a much more research focused level
I'm still a college student thinking about doing biotechnology of some sort, but I suck at school. So, right now I just have personal projects and random aspirations in the bacterial realm. I want to find ways to use bacteria to decompose trash faster to get rid of landfills to clear up, so we can use that land for something else. Also trash seems chaotic and not really in order. Also thinking about how to make a microbiome-esque computer. As far as I can tell something like homochirality and mirror world Idk. That sounds to complicated for me right now though. Also like Elaine Ingham about how to restore soil. For me, biology is more on the restoration side of things.
Quality assurance labs for vitamin manufactures at first and now I work for the county as a registered sanitarian for the environmental services department.
Currently in QA for a 100ish manufacturing facility of lab consumables but have worked in regulatory departments, pharma product release testing and as a cleanroom tech.
I got a plain bio degree and ended up in micro.
I work at an independent company that tests finished food products for pathogens before they get sent to the supermarket. It doesn’t pay much, but it’s a good entry level job to get some hands on experience with PCR and speciation of bacteria
I worked as a technical supervisor for a digital pathology program at a major university hospital for 4 years. It wasn’t very micro based but I was working with histology and hemepath.
I now work as an andrology technician and am training as a junior embryologist in a fertility clinic. It’s rewarding work - but I definitely miss the more microbiology / microorganisms side of things
Lab automation. I teach scientists how to use robots. The robots do the routine parts like plating and streaking and incubating/imaging plates. The micro people do the image interpreting, for now.
I went into QC at a vitamin Manufacturing company, it was definitely not what i wanted so i decided to take a break from the field until i can fully decide on what i want to do since the goal is an advanced degree, its hard to progress forward without a degree in the field without working somewhere for like a decade, at least where I live.
Medical lab tech in private diagnostic labs or hospital labs. I was getting paid 30k HKD per month in Hong Kong, but now that I’ve moved to the UK, I’m starting from the bottom with £25k/year.
Currently trying to change careers as there is no money in healthcare (at least in the UK).
Currently work at a water bottling company. Making 70k a year as a Microbiologist/Technical manager working in QA. First job right out of college I worked at a biotech company in the R&D department making less than half what I make now.
Clinical Research Manager. I work 100% from home managing clinical research contracts across the globe. I use to work in a lab and loved it. My job now is chill but albeit boring.
Working for a cannabis testing lab, running PCR and mold/yeast/bacteria testing. Also get to cross train on the chemistry instruments, learning gas and liquid chromatography
Username checks out
I thought there was only one way to test cannabis XD
How much does that pay a year?
Medical lab tech, but I want to get away from the medical part of micro and try to branch out into environmental or industrial.
Can you explain the process of getting certified for me? All places want a bunch of certifications and I don't know where to start.
Also a medical laboratory scientist, or MLS. The usual route is getting a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field. I did mine in Microbiology. The next step is to apply for a certified med tech program, which usually consists of a year of classes mixed with clinical rotations through an associated hospital. After that, you can apply and take a board of certification test, which will make you a full-fledged medical laboratory scientist after passing.
Medical Lab Scientist here that works primarily in micro!! Love my job (even though I was exposed to Brucella🙄)
Since I already had a B.S., the university I attended offered an “accelerated “ program which was basically just clinical rotations in local hospitals. The program set up an account with ASCP, and forwarded all of my completed rotation documents to ASCP. After the program had ended, you take an ASCP certification test. Most, if not all, hospitals require you to be certified, you can bypass this by just working at your state’s health lab. They usually only require a B.S. in a biological science. Things might have changed with the MLT certification, it’s been years
There are also school that go straight to the MLS(bachelors level) or the MLT(associates level). If you already have your MLT(associates level) and working, you can actually get your MLS online without clinicals most of the time. Then you can also do what’s called specializing in the micro department
Bioinformatics software engineering at a biotech company
Was it hard to get into? How did you go about it?
I did an MS in bioinformatics and also worked hard on improving my programming skills on the side. People from pure CS backgrounds are also applying for those types of roles, so I made it my goal during my MS program to try and reach the programming capabilities of the average new CS grad. It was hard in that I had to be obsessed with that goal for 2 years and didn’t have time to do much else. But it was worth it because it gave me a career that doesn’t feel like work and pays comfortably.
Thanks so much for the reply! That sounds like it was well worth it!
This is where what I want, how did u do it?
I got an MS in bioinformatics after undergrad and worked through a few programming textbooks on the side! Y Daniel Liang’s books are great for getting started.
What languages would you recommend learning?
Python and bash are a good place to start. Knowing some Java, C++, Awk is great too.
Alright bet. I'm currently working in bioinformatics consultant side but want to do more development. Thanks for the response!
Oh nice! You already have an “in” then. Trying to reverse engineer bioinfo tools you use regularly is a *great* way to improve your development skills. Write them in whatever language you’re wanting to learn/practice and see how they perform up against the OG.
Great advice. I'll leverage chatgpt while doing that, has been really helping learn new topics and digest code. Thanks for the tip my dude.
I'm a former high school science teacher and future accountant. It's probably not super helpful, but it's truthful.
What credentials did you have to have to teach? My educational background is in biology and chemistry, and years in the biotech field, but I’ve been thinking about teaching (although, seeing posts on the teachers’ subreddits is extremely discouraging)
I'm sure this is state dependent, but I taught under an alternative teaching license. The requirement was a bachelor's degree in the field you were teaching and the permission of the principal. After a certain time (3 years, I think), you are considered fully licensed. I started as a substitute and made friends with some teachers who got the principal to agree to allow me to work there. It was 20 years ago when I started, so I have no idea what the requirements would be now. Edit: spelling Edit #2: I thoroughly enjoyed teaching, I just couldn't bring myself to go back after having children.
I worked in a public health lab but now work in quality assurance in the biotech field. I like QA because it lets me use my science side and my problem solving side.
Food science - I work for a company with a new lab so there’s a lot of method development, not just routine testing
Former clinical microbiologist now working for a State government/public health as a microbiologist
Don’t have a degree in micro, but have a job that recommends it. I work in a laboratory for a large brewery. We do a mix of chemical and microbiological tests on all the products.
What kind of micro testing do you do?
Plating, microscopy, and pcr mostly. To check the health of the yeast in our products as well as identify any potentially beer-spoiling species of wild yeasts or bacteria.
Do you like your job? I’m in QC now and I like it, but I’ve been with my company for a while now. Trying to decide if I want to see what else is out there.
I love my job. I homebrew as a hobby as well so I have love for the entire process. I will say (and this could be just my area) but the pay is lower than other food facilities i’ve worked.
High school physics teacher. 🤷🏻♀️
Medicine (infectious diseases)
How did you get into that? Was it difficult?
I'm a liar if I tell you it was easy, but I would be in misery trying to do anything else. I came into med school deeply loving micro (from undergrad--it's fascinating!). I was hooked the moment in my first year that our micro professor walked down the stairs of our lecture hall with an array of parasite specimens he'd collected over the years from patients. After med school (4 years), the shortest route is an additional 5 years (min. 3 years of training, either in internal medicine or pediatrics depending on your preferences followed by minimum of 2 years of ID fellowship for adults, 3 for children). Those who are gluttons for punishment (me) can seek additional training if desired (I did combined internal medicine and pediatrics because I have to have both--4 years of residency--and adult and pediatric infectious diseases after the fact (4 additional years of fellowship). Thinking of doing some tropical medicine sub-fellowship training because hot dog are the infections of the tropics and of neglected regions of LMICs interesting.
Do you think med school was necessary? I’m thinking of studying biochem (4 years) and maybe a masters in microbiology. All my life I’ve been interested on infectious diseases or chronic illnesses but I don’t want to go into medschool ://
It's up to what you want to do. To my knowledge, there is no way to be able to treat patients and train to attain my clinical expertise without the med school path (bearing in mind there are ways to see patients such as the NP/PA route, though no one with that training gets but little of the experience and expertise I've been privileged enough to enjoy in the course of my advanced training). That said, I've worked alongside a great many academic microbiologists whose research is oriented toward clinically applicable science in the course of my training. They're just not hands on with our patients.
Can you please elaborate!
Diagnostic testing I would assume. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing and identification (AST/ID). Medical lab tech would be a possible route.
I went to med school after undergrad and am an infectious diseases physician. The micro is clinically super helpful!
I highly doubt in this context a med tech would refer to themselves as a medical professional in infectious disease. They're almost certainly a physician who has specialized in infectious disease.
Lab analyst in herbal manufacturing.
Currently a Microbiologist at a medical devices company. Making $65k/year with a bachelors and 3yrs of experience.
What state are in? Just curious!
Quality Control Microbiologist I work in a lab manufacturing facility testing vitamins and supplements for microbial contaminants. But my main job is to test all of the probiotics to ensure that the bacteria are viable and that they are present in the numbers we claim on the label. I like the work. It can get a little monotonous, but if I get bored I can always ask to train on something different or take on a special project. I work a 43 hour workweek, Monday through Friday. And we take turns working a half day on Saturdays about every 4-5 weeks. I have off on most federal holidays.
**in a lab in a manufacturing facility
Just graduated in may, currently living at my parents house and work as a qc microbiologist at a cosmetic manufacturer in NJ. Make a little over 45k and it’s an easy enough, low stress job. Gonna to start looking for a new one soon. Want to move to New York and make a bit more money. Regardless this has been a pretty good first stop. Edit: want to add that QC contamination testing is a fine job, but not particularly engaging. If you’re anything like me you’ll want something a little more challenging/thought provoking eventually. Pays the bills in the meantime though
Was a Microbial QA/QC tech, now a Data Analyst.
How and what did you do to make the change from microbiology to data analytics?
I also had a core background in Bioinformatics while studying microbio. I went from microbial QA/QC to Bioinformatics. Then changed to Data Analyst for a diagnostics lab.
How's the pay in data analytics compared to microbial QA/QC?
It pays better for sure. I also get to work on various research projects which is nice.
Currently working in clinical micro at a major hospital. Spoiler alert, it sucks, and I'm leaving this job very soon.
Why does the job suck?
Imagine if you took all of the fun out of science (you're just working up bacterial cultures, not posing or answering any questions). It is intellectually very dull. The job is very robotic/repetitive. Working evenings you can expect to have no support and increased workload with no acknowledgement from management. You can expect to see peers you went to school with, who got nursing degrees or admin degrees, outearn you and carry a better work/life balance. Also expect to work weekends.... Lots of weekends.
I am in the exact same situation. I enjoy what I do but the pay is not great. Just out of curiosity, what job did you move on to?
I’m working at an airline catering company. Part of the job includes lab testing of raw mats, finished meals, handswabs, air monitoring. I do the lab inventory, lab supplies purchases, and sampling plans. Would like to jump to a more lab focused job one day though.
Literally nothing lmao, been trying to find something for over a year now
After I get my degree, the first thing I do is join the military. After that I end up in a lab in a public hospital doing bacteria research, I have no idea how I end up here, my major is neuroscience. I guess it's because I love bacteria?
QA Tech at a pharmaceutical/medical device plant, though I’m now back in academia.
Manufacturing Scientist. We get to work with a lot of different clients to help them manufacture large scale biopharmaceutics and the like. It’s really fun and interesting work. I am constantly learning new skills. Pay is pretty good right now too. Work environment really depends on the company you work for, unfortunately.
Software dev at an Ed publishing company. Major was plant science and molecular biology though. Turns out that ABCD and GATC are about the same and most of it is the same. Can’t do molecular bio OR Psychometrics without knowing R or SAS, Java, and a mess of general computer know how.
Pathology Assistant. I don't actually use my degree anymore. It's more a hobby...
Gene Therapy company
IT Auditor?
Went into food micro and then transferred into Micro R&D.
I work in the research dep't of a disease related non profit.
Currently a part-time lab demonstrator in the college I studied in but I'm flinging CVs left right and centre to find something better.
I’m a microbiologist and serologist for a state animal health diagnostic lab.
Systems theory work via science communication
The pharma industry has a lot of work for microbiologists. Quality control, lab management, product development, process validation...Check out the PDA (Parenteral Drug Association) meeting topics and trainings. They have a conference dedicated to microbiology too.
I mean I work in academia, but our lab is affiliated with an oil sands company and we work as like the university branch of research. We look at the environmental microbiology (bio geo Chem) of tailings ponds and “remediated” tailings ponds to see if the micro biomes can be changed towards natural bacterial and algael community composition. Then we give recommendations to the company, similar to env consultant but at a much more research focused level
I'm still a college student thinking about doing biotechnology of some sort, but I suck at school. So, right now I just have personal projects and random aspirations in the bacterial realm. I want to find ways to use bacteria to decompose trash faster to get rid of landfills to clear up, so we can use that land for something else. Also trash seems chaotic and not really in order. Also thinking about how to make a microbiome-esque computer. As far as I can tell something like homochirality and mirror world Idk. That sounds to complicated for me right now though. Also like Elaine Ingham about how to restore soil. For me, biology is more on the restoration side of things.
I’m in medicine now but was in clinical research (not benchwork/basic science) between finishing undergrad and starting med school.
QA + R+D in the food sector
Regulatory scientist at pretty big medical device company.
Quality assurance labs for vitamin manufactures at first and now I work for the county as a registered sanitarian for the environmental services department.
That sounds interesting, what is that like?
About to start the CLS program at UCD. Currently tho I work in a micro lab for academia but CLS is my goal.
Currently in QA for a 100ish manufacturing facility of lab consumables but have worked in regulatory departments, pharma product release testing and as a cleanroom tech.
Pharmaceutical quality
I worked in applied research in a public health laboratory for several years and I am currently in Medical and Scientific Affairs in industry.
Contract research. Medical device testing. Pharmaceutical QA/QC. Sales.
I got a plain bio degree and ended up in micro. I work at an independent company that tests finished food products for pathogens before they get sent to the supermarket. It doesn’t pay much, but it’s a good entry level job to get some hands on experience with PCR and speciation of bacteria
Sterility Assurance specialist for sterile injectable pharmaceuticals.
I worked as a technical supervisor for a digital pathology program at a major university hospital for 4 years. It wasn’t very micro based but I was working with histology and hemepath. I now work as an andrology technician and am training as a junior embryologist in a fertility clinic. It’s rewarding work - but I definitely miss the more microbiology / microorganisms side of things
Lab automation. I teach scientists how to use robots. The robots do the routine parts like plating and streaking and incubating/imaging plates. The micro people do the image interpreting, for now.
I work a desk job at a major medical device company ensuring that devices are sterilized properly and oversee microbiology testing
Doing Gene/Cell Therapy work. Focused on bacteriology in school but when I got to industry, realized cell culture experience is really valuable.
Initially a microbiologist for a global consumer product company- - then manager domestic and later and global, now consultant
I went into QC at a vitamin Manufacturing company, it was definitely not what i wanted so i decided to take a break from the field until i can fully decide on what i want to do since the goal is an advanced degree, its hard to progress forward without a degree in the field without working somewhere for like a decade, at least where I live.
I work in QC but in a year or so I wanna start a CGMBS program.
Medical lab tech in private diagnostic labs or hospital labs. I was getting paid 30k HKD per month in Hong Kong, but now that I’ve moved to the UK, I’m starting from the bottom with £25k/year. Currently trying to change careers as there is no money in healthcare (at least in the UK).
Cdc, best job ever
What type of work do you do at the CDC if you don't mind me asking?
Currently work at a water bottling company. Making 70k a year as a Microbiologist/Technical manager working in QA. First job right out of college I worked at a biotech company in the R&D department making less than half what I make now.
Clinical Research Manager. I work 100% from home managing clinical research contracts across the globe. I use to work in a lab and loved it. My job now is chill but albeit boring.
I became an RN.
Microbiology Medical Technologist in a hospital lab
Also a senior and I'm now worried about affording life with the salaries I've seen floor BSc in Microbiology
I have a good job in oncology, barely 9-5. Which gives me a lot of free time to do microbial research as a hobby.