Table 1Transition record

biologisttobiology technician

A biologist already meets 56% of what the biology technician role asks for. The move turns on 10 required skills not yet in the profile.

From biologist

56%

Overlap1

To biology technician

29 Skills carried over

10 Required, not held

52.3 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 52.3

This move: 52.3 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the biology technician role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the biologist profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 29 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A biology technician role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a biologist background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held computational biology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held perform field research information skills
already held analyse blood samples information skills
already held genomics natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held oceanography natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held applied zoology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics

All 29 carried skills, including the 12 the biology technician role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 22 missing skills fall into 11 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 working with machinery and specialised equipment 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held use laboratory equipment required
required, not held calibrate laboratory equipment required
required, not held maintain laboratory equipment required

optional, not held perform fertility laboratory procedures optional

02 information skills 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held analyse experimental laboratory data required
required, not held assist in the production of laboratory documentation required

optional, not held keep task records optional
optional, not held monitor the welfare of animals optional

03 assisting and caring 2 required

required, not held apply safety procedures in laboratory required
required, not held perform stem cell transplantation required

04 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held laboratory equipment required

optional, not held evolutionary biology optional

05 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 required

required, not held write technical reports required

06 management skills 1 required

required, not held manage inventory required

5 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a biology technician role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 29 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply scientific methods skill
already held biology knowledge
already held collect biological data skill
already held collect samples for analysis skill
already held computational biology knowledge
already held cryopreservation knowledge
already held laboratory techniques knowledge
already held life sciences knowledge
already held perform laboratory tests skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held scientific research methodology knowledge
already held stem cells knowledge
already held analyse blood samples skill
already held analyse cell cultures skill
already held animal welfare legislation knowledge
already held applied zoology knowledge
already held biosecurity knowledge
already held botany knowledge
already held chemistry knowledge
already held ecology knowledge
already held genomics knowledge
already held microbiology-bacteriology knowledge
already held molecular biology knowledge
already held oceanography knowledge
already held pathology knowledge
already held perform field research skill
already held pharmacology knowledge
already held virology knowledge
already held write research proposals skill

The 5 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 handling and moving 3 supplementary

optional, not held collect reproductive cells optional
optional, not held label samples optional
optional, not held preserve samples optional

08 working with computers 2 supplementary

optional, not held maintain freelance database optional
optional, not held prepare visual data optional

09 business, administration and law 1 supplementary

optional, not held environmental legislation optional

10 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 supplementary

optional, not held pollution prevention optional

11 services 1 supplementary

optional, not held hazardous waste storage optional

12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held collect reproductive cells optional
optional, not held evolutionary biology optional
optional, not held label samples optional
optional, not held perform fertility laboratory procedures optional
optional, not held environmental legislation optional
optional, not held hazardous waste storage optional
optional, not held keep task records optional
optional, not held maintain freelance database optional
optional, not held monitor the welfare of animals optional
optional, not held pollution prevention optional
optional, not held prepare visual data optional
optional, not held preserve samples optional

69 held skills the biology technician role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role apply for research funding skill
not needed by the target role apply research ethics and scientific integrity principles in research activities skill
not needed by the target role aquatic species knowledge
not needed by the target role archive scientific documentation skill
not needed by the target role assess environmental impact in aquaculture operations skill
not needed by the target role biological chemistry knowledge
not needed by the target role biotechnology in aquaculture knowledge
not needed by the target role collect fish samples for diagnosis skill
not needed by the target role communicate by telephone skill
not needed by the target role communicate with a non-scientific audience skill
not needed by the target role conduct ecological research skill
not needed by the target role conduct fish mortality studies skill
not needed by the target role conduct fish populations studies skill
not needed by the target role conduct genome research skill
not needed by the target role conduct research across disciplines skill
not needed by the target role conduct research on fauna skill
not needed by the target role conduct research on flora skill
not needed by the target role conserve natural resources skill
not needed by the target role create natural science taxonomies skill
not needed by the target role demonstrate disciplinary expertise skill
not needed by the target role develop aquaculture breeding strategies skill
not needed by the target role develop professional network with researchers and scientists skill
not needed by the target role develop scientific research protocols skill
not needed by the target role disseminate results to the scientific community skill
not needed by the target role draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation skill
not needed by the target role ecosystem management knowledge
not needed by the target role entomology knowledge
not needed by the target role evaluate research activities skill
not needed by the target role fish anatomy knowledge
not needed by the target role fish biology knowledge
not needed by the target role fish identification and classification knowledge
not needed by the target role gather experimental data skill
not needed by the target role habitat restoration knowledge
not needed by the target role herpetology knowledge
not needed by the target role identify poisons skill
not needed by the target role increase the impact of science on policy and society skill
not needed by the target role inspect fish stock skill
not needed by the target role interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
not needed by the target role lepidoptery knowledge
not needed by the target role mammalogy knowledge

29 further entries not listed here

5 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held laboratory equipment required
optional, not held evolutionary biology optional
optional, not held environmental legislation optional
optional, not held hazardous waste storage optional
optional, not held pollution prevention optional

Index

Other moves recorded from biologist

Full index of moves from biologist

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.