Table 1Transition record

biologisttomarine biologist

A biologist already meets 76% of what the marine biologist role asks for. The move turns on 4 required skills not yet in the profile.

From biologist

76%

Overlap1

To marine biologist

30 Skills carried over

4 Required, not held

30.7 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 30.7

This move: 30.7 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the marine biologist 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 30 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A marine biologist 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 marine biology natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
already held conduct fish populations studies information skills
already held inspect fish stock information skills
already held conduct research on flora information skills
already held perform field research information skills
already held conduct ecological research information skills

All 30 carried skills, including the 21 the marine biologist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 14 missing skills fall into 9 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 information skills 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held monitor water quality required

optional, not held analyse fish samples for diagnosis optional
optional, not held conduct ecological surveys optional

02 natural sciences, mathematics and statistics 1 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held organism taxonomy required

optional, not held coastal management optional
optional, not held physics optional

03 agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary 1 required

required, not held physiology of animals required

04 working with computers 1 required

required, not held perform data analysis required

05 handling and moving 2 supplementary

optional, not held control aquatic production environment optional
optional, not held treat fish diseases optional

06 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held advise on nature conservation optional

3 further areas in the appendix

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a marine biologist 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 30 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held apply scientific methods skill
already held biology knowledge
already held botany knowledge
already held collect biological data skill
already held conduct research on fauna skill
already held conduct research on flora skill
already held ecology knowledge
already held ecosystem management knowledge
already held fish anatomy knowledge
already held fish biology knowledge
already held fish identification and classification knowledge
already held gather experimental data skill
already held laboratory techniques knowledge
already held marine biology knowledge
already held microbiology-bacteriology knowledge
already held molecular biology knowledge
already held perform field research skill
already held perform scientific research skill
already held scientific research methodology knowledge
already held write research proposals skill
already held write work-related reports skill
already held chemistry knowledge
already held conduct ecological research skill
already held conduct fish mortality studies skill
already held conduct fish populations studies skill
already held habitat restoration knowledge
already held inspect fish stock skill
already held monitor fish health status skill
already held oceanography knowledge
already held send samples to laboratory skill

The 3 learning areas not shown above

Skill to acquire Tier

07 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 supplementary

optional, not held wind energy optional

08 health and welfare 1 supplementary

optional, not held biotechnology optional

09 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held develop aquaculture strategies optional

10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held advise on nature conservation optional
optional, not held analyse fish samples for diagnosis optional
optional, not held coastal management optional
optional, not held conduct ecological surveys optional
optional, not held wind energy optional
optional, not held biotechnology optional
optional, not held control aquatic production environment optional
optional, not held develop aquaculture strategies optional
optional, not held physics optional
optional, not held treat fish diseases optional

68 held skills the marine biologist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role analyse blood samples skill
not needed by the target role analyse cell cultures skill
not needed by the target role animal welfare legislation knowledge
not needed by the target role applied zoology knowledge
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 biosecurity 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 collect samples for analysis 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 computational biology knowledge
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 conserve natural resources skill
not needed by the target role create natural science taxonomies skill
not needed by the target role cryopreservation knowledge
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 entomology knowledge
not needed by the target role evaluate research activities skill
not needed by the target role genomics 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 interact professionally in research and professional environments skill
not needed by the target role lepidoptery knowledge
not needed by the target role life sciences knowledge
not needed by the target role mammalogy knowledge
not needed by the target role manage open publications skill
not needed by the target role manage personal professional development skill

28 further entries not listed here

6 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 organism taxonomy required
required, not held physiology of animals required
optional, not held coastal management optional
optional, not held wind energy optional
optional, not held biotechnology optional
optional, not held physics 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.