Molecular and Cellular Biologists
Science, Technology, Engineering and MathematicsO*NET 19-1029.02United States
Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization.
- Median annual earnings
- $98,646
- Projected change
- +5.2%
- Typical education
- Doctoral degree or more
- Employment
- 61.7K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
57.7% of the workforce
Growing to 64.88K by 2035
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These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What molecular and cellular biologists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Maintain accurate laboratory records and data.
- Design molecular or cellular laboratory experiments, oversee their execution, and interpret results.
- Write grant applications to obtain funding.
- Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis.
- Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation.
- Prepare or review reports, manuscripts, or meeting presentations.
- Instruct undergraduate and graduate students within the areas of cellular or molecular biology.
- Direct, coordinate, organize, or prioritize biological laboratory activities.
- Compile and analyze molecular or cellular experimental data and adjust experimental designs as necessary.
- Evaluate new technologies to enhance or complement current research.
- Provide scientific direction for project teams regarding the evaluation or handling of devices, drugs, or cells for in vitro and in vivo disease models.
- Supervise technical personnel and postdoctoral research fellows.
- Monitor or operate specialized equipment, such as gas chromatographs and high pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers.
- Develop guidelines for procedures such as the management of viruses.
- Conduct applied research aimed at improvements in areas such as disease testing, crop quality, pharmaceuticals, and the harnessing of microbes to recycle waste.
- Develop assays that monitor cell characteristics.
- Coordinate molecular or cellular research activities with scientists specializing in other fields.
- Verify all financial, physical, and human resources assigned to research or development projects are used as planned.
- Evaluate new supplies and equipment to ensure operability in specific laboratory settings.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $59,644
- 25th percentile
- $76,048
- 50th percentile
- $98,646
- 75th percentile
- $128,172
- 90th percentile
- $170,208
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $98,646 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+5.2%average or slower
202561,697 jobs
2035 projected64,880 jobs
3,183 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Doctoral degree or more
- 57.7%
- Bachelor's degree
- 34.6%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 7.7%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Postdoctoral Fellows579 postings
- 02Scientists304 postings
- 03Postdoctoral Associates275 postings
- 04Research Associates255 postings
- 05Postdoctoral Scholars214 postings
- 06Mental Health & Wellbeing Practitioners186 postings
- 07Anatomy and Physiology Instructors185 postings
- 08Anatomy and Physiology Adjunct Instructors174 postings
- 09Molecular Biologists170 postings
- 10Postdoctoral Research Fellows127 postings
- 11Biologists124 postings
- 12Electrophysiology Specialists116 postings
- 13Postdoctoral Research Associates116 postings
- 14Molecular Technologists104 postings
- 15Associate Scientists102 postings
- 16Postdoctoral Researchers102 postings
- 17Research Assistants99 postings
- 18Research Scientists90 postings
- 19Biology Adjunct Faculties88 postings
- 20Research Technicians74 postings
Top employers
- 01University of Colorado System Office154 postings
- 02University of Minnesota122 postings
- 03University of Pennsylvania111 postings
- 04Herc110 postings
- 05Harvard University95 postings
- 06Pennsylvania State University85 postings
- 07Johnson & Johnson79 postings
- 08Mayo Clinic61 postings
- 09Eurofins59 postings
- 10Actalent55 postings
- 11University of California52 postings
- 12Genentech51 postings
- 13Postdocjobs46 postings
- 14Baylor College of Medicine44 postings
- 15University of California-San Francisco42 postings
- 16Insight Global41 postings
- 17University of Florida41 postings
- 18Nature Careers39 postings
- 19Northwestern University39 postings
- 20University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center38 postings
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