Post on 04-Jan-2016
The Biotech Industry and Careers
Why choose a career in Biotechnology?
Because you can help save lives, cure diseases, help feed the hungry, help create a substitute for oil energy use and be a pioneer in green technology
Biotechnology is a growing industry in the US
What is the career outlook in biotechnology?
Jobs will continue to increase exponentially Jobs are available to high school graduates
through PhD’s 1400+ companies in US Currently employs 1.2 million people
US Biotech Companies by state
1. California – 374
2. Massachusetts – 256
3. North Carolina – 81
4. Maryland – 75
5. New Jersey - 68
Massachusetts & Biotech
Mass has the second largest biotech industry in US. – 250+ companies– Over 30,000 people employed
4 of top 10 companies Most companies located in Boston area Largest sector is pharmaceuticals
– Treatments for cancer & other diseases
Top US Biotech Companies
Amgen, Thousand Oaks, CA Biogen Idec, Cambridge, MA Celgene, Summit, NJ Genetech, CA Genzyme, Cambridge, MA Gilead Science, CA Sepracor, Marlborough, MA
Regulation
The biotech industry is regulated by the:– U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)– Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Biotech Industry Characteristics
Research is conducted by:– small companies– large corporations– public universities.
Most research is a collaboration between companies and universities.
Biotech Industry Characteristics
Funding comes from a variety of sources including both public and private sources.
Biotech Industry Characteristics
Focuses on a variety of research areas including health, medicine, food science, environmental science, & agriscience.
10 Basic skills for a biotech career
1. Reading skills• - necessary to interpret written information• - identify relevant details• - learn from text.
2. Writing skills - recordkeeping- creating documents- communication.
Basic skills for a biotech career
3. Mathematic skills compute numbersdetermine solution componentsdata analysis
4. Listening skills comprehend and carry out directives that
foster good working relationships
Basic skills for a biotech career
5. Good speaking skills important to relay ideas and information
6. Thinking skills enable workers to creatively develop
new ideassolve problems
Basic skills for a biotech career
7. Interpersonal skills needed to successfully work and
function with other employees as a team.
8. Technology skills apply functions of the latest technology
Basic skills for a biotech career
9. Responsibility Good work ethic High standards of attendance
10. Self-esteem and self-management skills
Positive view of themselves Friendliness Ddaptability
Specific Requirements for a Biotech Career
1. Should have an interest in the biological sciences.
2. Should enjoy working for long periods of time on challenging detail-oriented tasks.
3. Biotechnology careers offer room for career advancement…
Career areas
1. Research & Development
2. Manufacturing & Services
3. Quality and Regulatory affairs (FDA, USDA, EPA)
4. Sales & Technical support
5. Administration & Management
Career Areas
Research and Development-– Attempt to create new methods and
products related to biotechnology for use in agricultural fields.
– Spend most of their time in the lab, field, or at a computer.
Career Areas
Sales & Marketing-– Handle the promotion and sales of
biotechnology products.– Work in individual offices and small groups
with outside companies to produce materials and campaigns.
Career Areas
Management-– Use strategic planning to guide research
topics and lead biotechnology companies.
Career Areas
Computer Applications & Technology-– Manage equipment / hardware and design
software for use in:research and data analysis.
In the laboratory…
Jobs might include: – Conducting plant transformation research– Growing plants from cells– working with animal embryos.
In the laboratory…
Lab Technician- – responsible for handling repetitive laboratory
procedures– day to day care of equipment / facilities.
Requires at least a 2-year degree, 4-year degrees offer more opportunities.
In the laboratory…
Laboratory Manger– supervises activities in the laboratory – ensures that safety procedures are followed and
research is effective.
Must be good at managing resources. Requires at least a 4-year bachelors degree.
In the greenhouse…
A worker might: – care for experimental plants– conduct tests on the new plants’ traits.
Ex: Greenhouse Technician- responsible for the care of research plants in growth facilities.
On an experimental farm…
A worker might assist with:– animal breeding – care for animals used in research
Inspection
Regulatory Agent- responsible for the inspection of biotechnology methods and products. Usually work for government agencies– FDA, USDA, APHIS
Other Biotech Careers…
Microbiologist Biochemist, Geneticist Environmental Engineer
– (handles bioremediation)
Other jobs
Forensic DNA analyst Health & Safety specialist Quality control & assurance specialists Sales representatives Research institutions University positions Pharmaceutical companies
Assignment
Find 3 Colleges/Universities that offer a program or degrees in biotech.– Name of school– Location (city, state)– Degree program(s)
2 year? 4 year? certifications– Tuition cost– Admission policy/typical student statistics – 3 courses
Typed. Each College/University on a separate sheet of paper