Biologist to marine 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.
30.7/ 100
1 How much of what a marine biologist is expected to do is already part of a biologist’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the marine biologist role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A marine biologist role treats 21 of its required skills as things a biologist already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply scientific methods
- biology
- botany
- collect biological data
- conduct research on fauna
- conduct research on flora
What stands in the way is 4 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
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.
- 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 · What you may need to learn
The 14 missing skills fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn monitor water quality required
- optional, not held analyse fish samples for diagnosis optional
- optional, not held conduct ecological surveys optional
- still to learn organism taxonomy required
- optional, not held coastal management optional
- optional, not held physics optional
- still to learn physiology of animals required
- still to learn perform data analysis required
- optional, not held control aquatic production environment optional
- optional, not held treat fish diseases optional
- optional, not held advise on nature conservation optional
3 further areas in the appendix
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.
- 01 organism taxonomy study this
- 02 physiology of animals study this
- 03 monitor water quality practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 30 skills that carry over
- 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
- optional, not held wind energy optional
- optional, not held biotechnology optional
- optional, not held develop aquaculture strategies optional
10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- 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
- 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.
- still to learn organism taxonomy required
- still to learn 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
Other moves recorded from biologist
- biophysicist 68% covered · moderate
- aquaculture biologist 66% covered · moderate
- microbiologist 65% covered · moderate
- geneticist 60% covered · substantial
- palaeontologist 58% covered · substantial
- aquatic animal health professional 57% covered · substantial
- immunologist 57% covered · substantial
- religion scientific researcher 57% covered · moderate
Common questions about this move
Can a biologist become a marine biologist?
Yes, and it is a moderate move. A biologist already covers 76% of what a marine biologist is expected to do: 30 skills carry over, 21 of which the marine biologist role treats as required.
What skills does a biologist need to become a marine biologist?
4 required skills are missing, plus 10 optional ones. They fall into 9 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by information skills. The single most important is organism taxonomy.
How hard is the move from biologist to marine biologist?
Its learning distance is 30.7 out of 100, which is the moderate band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
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.