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Geneticists

Under the title Geneticists, workers research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. You may also need to supervise or direct the work of other geneticists, biologists, technicians, or biometricians working on genetics research projects. On the six-type interest model it reads ICR, meaning research, analysis and working through hard problems comes first, followed by orderly work with data, records and clear procedures. Plan on graduate school and often five years or more of related experience; O*NET labels this extensive preparation. Strength in reading comprehension, science, and writing helps most here. People who want research, analysis and working through hard problems usually fit better here than those who need leading, persuading and making business decisions.

What they do

Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.

Main tasks

  • Supervise or direct the work of other geneticists, biologists, technicians, or biometricians working on genetics research projects.
  • Plan or conduct basic genomic and biological research related to areas such as regulation of gene expression, protein interactions, metabolic networks, and nucleic acid or protein complexes.
  • Prepare results of experimental findings for presentation at professional conferences or in scientific journals.
  • Maintain laboratory notebooks that record research methods, procedures, and results.
  • Write grants and papers or attend fundraising events to seek research funds.
  • Search scientific literature to select and modify methods and procedures most appropriate for genetic research goals.

Skills

  • Reading Comprehension
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Speaking
  • Judgment and Decision Making
  • Critical Thinking

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
  • You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and science.

May not suit you if

  • You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.6 out of 7 here.
  • You want to be working in the field within the next few years.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ICR takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.

Preparation

Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Post-Doctoral Training. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Cardiovascular Geneticist
  • Medical Geneticist
  • Research Scientist
  • Scientist

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.