The information on this page is designed to help you explore possible careers. Use the links below to navigate to different areas of the page. We recommend working with a career counselor to help you identify careers based on your skills, interests, and values.
Resources to Generate Ideas for Careers and/or Places of Employment
List of Employers and Job Titles Developed from Jobs Posted in PSU Handshake for Biology Majors
Biology majors may find employment in a variety of areas depending on their skills and experience. Career-related internships or career-related part-time jobs may be a prerequisite to finding professional-level employment after graduation.
The following list of employers and job titles was derived from The University Career Centers's jobs database where the employer specifically requested biology majors. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for biology majors. This list does not reflect current openings.
- ABR, Inc. — Research Biologists
- Alaskan Observers — North Pacific Groundfish Observers
- AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc. — Site Assessor/Field Scientist - Entry Level, Environmental Scientist
- American Red Cross, Oregon Trail Chapter: HLA Supervisor
- Anderson Hay & Grain — Endophyte Samplers
- Aronora LLC — Research Scientist I
- Bay Valley Foods — Quality Control Lab Supervisor
- Benton County — Deputy Administrator - Environmental Health
- Bonneville Power Administration — Fishery Biologist, Environmental Protection Specialist
- CH2M — Wetlands Scientist, Oregon Waste Management Marketer/Doer, Risk Assessor, Associate Water Scientist
- City of Hillsboro — Water Distribution Operator IV, Water Plant Operator I/II, Source Control Specialist, Water Resources Technician
- City of Portland — Environmental Technician II, Seasonal Fisheries/Wildlife Technician
- City of Salem — Water Treatment Plant Coordinator, Natural Area Specialist, Principal Planner - Zoning Review
- City of Tigard — Water Quality Program Coordinator/Volunteer Coordinator
- City of Vancouver — Environmental Planner - Level C
- Clackamas County — Environmental Policy Specialist
- Clark County — Autopsy Assistant
- Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission — Ecological Data Technician, Fishery Technician II/III
- Cowlitz County — Environmental Health Specialist I-II
- Data Contractors, Inc. — Field Biologist, Weeds Control Program Coordinator
- Deschutes Basin Land Trust — Land Steward Assistant
- Dimera Incorporated — Research Assistant
- Ecological Land Services, Inc. — Wetland/Habitat Biologist
- Ecotrust — Project Coordinator, Conservation Biologist, Research Assistant
- Entrix, Inc. — Assistant Staff Scientist - Fisheries Biologist/Aquatic Ecologist, Senior Consultant
- Environ International Corp. — Water Quality Field Technician
- Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) — Wildlife/Soils Monitoring Lead
- Exelixis, Inc. — Research Assistant
- Heinrich Corless Laboratories — Research Assistant II
- Illumina — Research Associate/Scientist - Protein Profiling, Sr. Research Associate - RNA Profiling
- Intel Corporation — Semiconductor Manufacturing Technicians
- Johnson Controls, Inc. — Biological Sciences Technician II
- LabCorp — Lab Supervisor
- ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc. — Scientist Associate
- Marion Soil and Water Conservation District — Conservation Outreach Technician
- McBain Laboratories, Inc. — Microbiologist
- Medtronic: Clinical Specialist
- Metro Regional Parks and Greenspaces Department — Wildlife Monitoring Assistant Coordinator
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit — Field Research Assistant
- Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) — Science Lab Coordinator, Biology/Natural Resources Technology Instructor
- Multnomah Education Service District — Outdoor School Site Supervisor
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — Commissioned Officer Corps
- National Park Service — National Park Education Specialist
- National Pesticide Information Center — Faculty Research Assistant
- National Psoriasis Foundation — Research Associate
- Natural Resource Group — Associate Environmental Consultant
- Nature Conservancy of Oregon, The — Williamson River Delta Field Ecologist
- Oregon Biodiversity Information Center — Faculty Research Assistant - Research Wildlife Biologists, Field Ecologist
- Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) — Natural Resource Specialist 2, 3 & 4
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife — Experimental Biology Aide, Marine Fish and Habitat Technical Assistant
- Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) — Laboratory Aide, Clinical Trials Research Coordinator
- Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) — Salmon Camp Lead Instructor, Outdoor Science Instructor
- Oregon State University (OSU) — Cell Culture Technician, Faculty Research Assistants, Lab Aid
- Oregon Trout — Fish Refuge Program Coordinator
- Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission — Natural Resource Data Analyst, Research Technician, Field Biologist
- Port of Portland — Environmental Specialist II
- Port of Vancouver USA — Environmental Technician
- Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) — Laboratory Technician
- ProteoGenix — Lab Assistant
- Proteome Software, Inc. — Bio-informatics
- Providence Health System — Research Associate
- Resource Company, Inc, The — Habitat Restoration Laborer, Environment Scientist
- SAIF Corporation — Industrial Hygiene Technician
- Schreiber Foods, Inc. — Production Team Advisor
- SiC Processing USA — Laboratory Technician
- Stevenson-Carson School District — Forest Youth Success Program Director
- Techsea International, Inc. — Fisheries Observers (Alaska)
- Tillamook School District — Astronomy/Earth Science Coach
- Umatilla County Soil and Water Conservation District — Natural Resource Specialist
- US Bureau of Land Management — Resource Educator
- US Customs and Border Protection — Agriculture Specialist
- US Department of Agriculture (USDA) — Plant Protection and Quarantine Officer, Hydrology Technician
- US Fish and Wildlife Service — Biological Technician, Natural Resources Specialist 1 - Project Assistant, Fish and Wildlife Biologist
- US Forest Service — Botanist - Bakota Prairie Grasslands, District Silviculturist - North Kaibab Ranger District, Wildlife Biologist - Plumas National Forest, Rangeland Management Specialist, Forest Ecologist
- Vernier Software & Technology — Biology Education Specialist/Technical Support
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Careers Reported by Biology Majors on the American Community Survey
The following list of job titles was generated from American Community Survey data. Every year, the federal government surveys 3,000,000 people. This list shows some of the most-often reported careers for people who majored in biology.
Please be aware that additional education, internships, or career-related experience may be a prerequisite to some of the careers on this list. The University Career Center provides this list as a tool for generating ideas for exploration. To find a brief description of the following occupations, go to the Standard Occupational Classification system.
- Physicians and Surgeons
- Postsecondary Teachers
- Dentists
- Elementary and Middle School Teachers
- Registered Nurses
- Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
- Pharmacists
- Medical Scientists and Life Scientists
- Physical Scientists
- Medical and Health Services Managers
- Biological Scientists
- Secondary School Teachers
- Physician Assistants
- Veterinarians
- Physical Therapists
- Lawyers and Judges
- Chief Executives and Legislators
- Management Analysts
- Education Administrators
- Optometrists
- Chiropractors
- Accountants and Auditors
- Software Developers
- Marketing and Sales Managers
- Chemists and Materials Scientists
- Counselors
- Environmental Scientists and Geoscientists
- Financial Managers
- Computer and Information Systems Managers
- Computer Systems Analysts
- Human Resources Workers
- Social Workers
- Computer Programmers
- Social and Community Service Managers
- Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives
- Human Resources Managers
- Industrial Production Managers
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
- Biological Technicians
- Industrial Engineers
- Writers and Authors
- Personal Financial Advisors
- Occupational Therapists
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Psychologists
- Dental Hygienists
- Operations Research Analysts
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents
- Special Education Teachers
- Editors
- Librarians
- Database Administrators
- Training and Development Specialists
- Natural Sciences Managers
- Architects
- Agricultural and Food Scientists
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators
- Technical Writers
- Respiratory Therapists
- Agricultural and Food Science Technicians
- Mechanical Engineers
- Dietitians and Nutritionists
- Web Developers
- Judicial Law Clerks
- Purchasing Managers
- Civil Engineers
- Architectural and Engineering Managers
- Insurance Underwriters
- Nurse Anesthetists
- Surveyors, Cartographers, and Photogrammetrists
- Conservation Scientists and Foresters
- Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- Biomedical and Agricultural Engineers
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List of Employers and Job Titles Generated from Keyword Searches of Jobs Databases and Search Engines
This list of employers and job titles was generated from a variety of sources (jobs databases, job search engines, employer web pages) using these search terms: biology, biologist, microbiologist, ecology, ecologist, science, sustainability.
This list does not represent all the jobs biology majors can do; it is designed to be used as a starting point for considering possible employers and careers.
- Abbott Laboratories — Senior Research Associate
- Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure — Wetland Scientist
- American Red Cross, Oregon Trail Chapter — HLA Supervisor
- BergerABAM — Entry-Level Environmental Planner Scientist
- Church & Dwight — Microbiologist
- City of Beaverton — Program Coordinator-Sustainability
- Clean Water Services — Water Resources Analyst
- Conservation Services Group — Energy Advisor
- DeVry University — Microbiology General Education Faculty
- Ever Fresh Fruit — Quality Assurance Specialist
- Fujimi Corporation — Quality Control Technician
- Genentech — QA Specialist II
- Medtronic — Clinical Specialist
- Molecular Vision Laboratory — Clinical Laboratory Research Associate/Assistant
- North Santiam Watershed Council — Santiam Restoration Project Technician
- OHSU Clinical Translational Research Institute — Community Liaison/Research Assistant 2
- OHSU Department of Environmental Health and Radiation Safety ¬ Safety Specialist 1
- OHSU Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics —Mouse Tech/Research Assistant 2
- OHSU Department of Pediatric Neuroscience – Lab Tech/Research Assistant 2
- OHSU Knight Cancer Institute —Cytogenetics Technologist
- OHSU Rural and Public Health Department —Research Liaison - Campus Assistant/Research Assistant 2
- Olympus — Sales Representative, Microscopes
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife — Natural Resource Specialist
- Oregon Department of State Police, Forensic Services Division, Portland Laboratory — Laboratory Technician 2 (Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) Tech)
- Oregon National Primate Research Center —Research Assistant 2, Veterinary Research Health Technician 1; Behavioral Technician (Research Assistant 2)
- Pacific University — Biology Laboratory Coordinator
- PeaceHealth — Client Relations Specialist
- Portland VA Research Foundation — Research Assistant II
- Providence Portland Medical Center—Research Associate 1,
- Public Health Division, Department of Human Services, State of Oregon — Medical Laboratory Technician 1, Microbiologist 2, Microbiologist 3
- Schrödinger — Quality Assurance Scientist
- Shriners Hospital for Children — Research Assistant II — Mouse Genetics
- SWCA Environmental Consultants — Wetland Scientist
- Tetra Tech — Wildlife Field Biologist
- The Great Basin Institute — Ecological Field Monitoring Technician
- VCA/Antech, Inc. — Laboratory Technician
- Veterans Health Administration — Health Science Specialist, Biological Science Laboratory Technician
- Water Bureau, City of Portland — Laboratory Analyst
- Water Department, City of Hillsboro — Water Treatment Plant Laboratory Technician
- Weyerhaeuser — Seedling Nursery Production Grower
- Wild Salmon Center — Salmon Management Specialist
- Wilson Construction Company — Environmental Specialist
- Xerces Society — Grazing Lands Pollinator Ecologist
- ZRT Laboratory — Laboratory Scientist
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Government Job Classifications
Classification Specifications are generic descriptions of jobs in government agencies. Generally, they provide an overview of the job and describe essential duties and responsibilities as well as requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and educational requirements. Classification specifications can be useful in identifying roles within government organizations for people with an academic background in or knowledge of biology. Please be aware that internships or other career-related experience may be a prerequisite to finding professional-level employment after graduation. The University Career Center provides this list as a tool for generating ideas for exploration.
City of Portland Classification Specifications. Describes duties and responsibilities for a variety of jobs with the city. Sample job titles:
Multnomah County Classification Specifications. Describes essential duties, knowledge, skills, and abilities; minimum qualifications, experience/training.
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Vocational Biographies
Vocational Biographies describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portlandsu and password: 3W9N
- Park Ranger
- Conservation Officer
- Wildlife Biologist
- Safety Manager
- State Park Resource Ecologist
- Desert Ecologist
- Zoo Biologist
- Habitat Designer
- Molecular Endocrinologist
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Professional Associations
115 Member Societies and Organizations affiliated with AIBS.
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