Biotechnology has applications in the everyday life of humans. Its plays a key role in diverse areas from pharma to agriculture and even environment. Students who are interested in the field of biotechnology but unsure about job opportunities can take up a Masters degree without anxiety. The career opportunities in this field are plentiful not just in India but across the globe. Given the surge of interest in biotechnology post the COVID pandemic, this is a great track to choose now. Here are some job opportunities that will open up for you once your] complete your Masters degree in the field of biotechnology.
Job opportunities in the Biotechnology field
Completing your M.Sc Biotech course can open up a wide range of global job opportunities with attractive salaries for you. Here are some niches where you can easily find placement once you have your MSc.
Biomedical engineer
Healthcare is one of the fastest growing fields globally right now. Advancements in this niche are taking place every year and that means there is always scope for development and innovation. As a newly trained biomedical engineer you are someone who can integrate the latest knowledge and nuances into brand new ideas that can change the scope of healthcare and improve healthcare outcomes.
A biomedical engineer combines technology with medicine to develop new devices or tools for patient care. For example, you may be improving the design of a life- saving artificial organ or building diagnostic equipment to identify a deadly disease well in time so it can be treated successfully.
Molecular biologist
As someone trained in molecular biology, you can head straight into areas where you work with DNA and RNA of different organisms, not just humans. This is one field where you may have various environment related jobs open for you as well, which gives you great scope today as corporates move into earth friendly initiatives. As part of a research team, a molecular biology professional may be working with genetics, developing new diagnostic methods for diseases or analysing drug impact on physiology. In the agriculture niche too, molecular biology can play a key role in genetically engineering new, hardy crops or in testing of crops.
Biochemist
Your Masters degree in biotechnology puts you in place to potentially save lives as a biochemist. You will be involved in new drug discoveries for life-threatening diseases. A biochemist studies biological processes and the physical/ chemical principles behind living organisms.
You could also be working in a molecular biology lab, doing research and analysis. Molecular biology students or biochemists are also a critical need in overseeing the design of equipment or infrastructure that has an impact of some kind on living organisms of all kinds.
Quality Controls
Quality controls is another area you will find openings in with your degree. Assessing processes and equipment and ensuring that they match up to standards is one type of career that you can choose. This too can be in a wide range of industries. For example, you may be asked to test raw materials or finished products and check if they meet quality standards set by the company or by the government. If you have experience as a lab technician, it is easier to find a well- paying job in quality controls because this job requires meticulous, detail oriented working skills. Quality controls are in place in multiple verticals in an organization and at different levels so you can get exposure to any business function of your choice by entering this field.
Epidemiologist
As you can imagine, job opportunities in this line are burgeoning now post COVID. As an epidemiologist, you will be tracing the roots of diseases, how they spread and how they affect the population at large. You will also be analysing ways and means to stop the spread of diseases. Public Health organizations recruit qualified epidemiologists and some of the best job opportunities may open up in the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO).
Biotech product manager
A very creative and challenging career option, this one has you overseeing the development of new biotech products. These could be medical devices or life- saving drugs and vaccines. You will be in charge of the whole life cycle of the product including its launch, giving you great experience hands-on. The exposure to market analysis, compliance regulations, pricing etc. make this a great field for you to get exposure to non-core aspects that you may not get to experience otherwise.
Lab technician
As a lab technician, you can be a part of a large group involved in groundbreaking research. These skills also have corporate applications where you can find job openings in the R&D department and get involved in product discovery. Some of the work may be routine but there is scope for great learning and independent exploration of your skills if you take the initiative and prove yourself.
Research scientist
Since biotechnology is a multidisciplinary study, you can find yourself fitting into research easily and putting your training and education to use in many ways. As a research scientist, you can make a foothold in many areas including chemistry, engineering, physics, agriculture, pharmaceuticals and more. Job satisfaction is high and you can be part of new discoveries in these areas that can make a monumental difference to all humankind. For those keen on research and data analysis, this is a great career path to choose.
Food science technician or agricultural technician
Your Masters degree in biotechnology qualifies you for job opportunities in the agri and food sector especially with respect to protocols that have to be followed in these fields. Safety standards are important in both these areas and your biotechnology training makes you the perfect fit for these tasks. In private corporates involved in agricultural sectors, increasing productivity and quality is a critical job and this is where you fit in. In the food industry, biotech professionals help ensure that the safety norms are complied with. Additives to the food have to be analysed for safety too as do other ingredients.
Genomics technicians
The study of genes and their interactions is gaining a lot of importance in today’s world. As a genomics technician, you can be part of initiatives to improve people’s quality of life by focusing on preventive medicine, analysing appropriate health facilities and such fields. Gene therapy is a growing field that you can be a part of with your masters degree. You will use the latest technology to compare DNA and RNA sequences and find variations that can have significant impact on drug response and in other ways. As you advance in your career, you may be developing new protocols under supervision or by yourself.
A Masters degree in biotechnology from a reputed university is a great way to ensure that you have several paths to choose for your career. Once you have your degree in hand, job opportunities in several fields open up for you in various levels. You also have the choice to either get into research in a laboratory environment that will give you a chance to learn further from your peers and supervisors. Alternatively, you can move into a corporate career, where you have direct impact on the company’s offerings to the market. By going into the medical or environmental fields, you can make a difference to the world as we know it. In short, your MSc in Biotechnology opens up vast vistas globally when it comes to career opportunities.
