Microbiologist

Microbiologists study microorganisms (microbes) to understand how they affect our lives and how we can exploit them to improve the quality of human life

By understanding microbes, microbiologists aim to solve a range of problems affecting our health, the environment, industry, climate, and food and agriculture. This can include the prevention, diagnosis and control of infections and disease, ensuring food and water safety, understanding the role that microbes play in climate change, and developing green and industrial biotechnologies.

As a microbiologist, you'll focus on the biology of microorganisms at both the molecular and cellular level, as well as their ecology, including viruses, bacteria, archaea, fungi, algae and protozoa. You may work in:

• hospitals
• agriculture
• pharmaceuticals
• biotechnology
• education
• the environment.

Types of microbiologists

Microbiology is a vast subject which overlaps with other areas of life sciences, such as molecular biology, immunology, genetics and biochemistry.

Specialist areas include:

• agriculture and food safety
• environment and climate change
• healthcare
• medicine
• research and development.

Find out more about what microbiologists do from organisations such as the Microbiology Society.

Responsibilities

Tasks vary depending on your area of specialism. For example, clinical scientists working in microbiology will be involved in preventing, diagnosing and controlling the spread of infections, whereas those working in manufacturing may be involved in quality control, checking for signs of contamination.

Depending on your area of expertise, you'll typically need to:

• monitor and identify microorganisms
• track microorganisms in a range of environments
• monitor and assess samples from a range of sources
• follow regular sampling schedules within a specific environment
• conduct antimicrobial susceptibility testing and assess resistance patterns
• carry out laboratory-based investigations using specialised media, diagnostic tests and molecular tools
• develop new techniques, products and processes
• develop and plan methods to prevent the spread of disease
• develop and register new medicines, vaccines, diagnostic tests and pharmaceutical products
• plan, implement and evaluate new products in clinical trials
• collect samples from different types of environments, such as agricultural sites
• develop products such as enzymes, vitamins, hormones and antimicrobials
• grow microbial cultures, for use in the food and drink industry or in agriculture
• apply bioinformatics tools and databases to analyse microbial genomes and metagenomes
• perform risk assessments for biosafety and regulatory compliance
• ensure quality assurance and adhere to Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) and relevant regulations.

You may also need to:

• manage and oversee laboratory work
• maintain accurate and up-to-date records
• work with specialist computer software to undertake studies and research
• write up research findings and produce reports
• plan and organise resources and activities
• keep up to date with new research, technologies and techniques
• attend and present at national and international conferences and other events
• supervise and mentor students or support staff
• provide information and advice to colleagues and external bodies
• engage in public outreach or science communication activities, where relevant.

Salary

• Jobs in the NHS for microbiologists working as clinical scientists are usually covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates, consisting of nine pay bands. Trainee clinical scientists are usually employed at Band 6, on a starting salary of £38,682.
• Once qualified, you're likely to earn between £47,810 and £54,710 (Band 7). Salaries for principal and consultant scientists range from £55,690 (Band 8) to £125,637 (Band 9), depending on your experience, qualifications and training.
• Salaries for higher education lecturers in microbiology usually follow a nationally agreed pay spine. See the University and College Union (UCU) for details.
• Research and development work in pharmaceutical firms, public health laboratories and Medical Research Council centres and units tends to attract higher salaries.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

You'll usually work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, although if you're working as a clinical scientist in the NHS you may be on a rota.

Larger employers may provide flexible working schemes.

Part-time work is possible.

What to expect

• The work is generally laboratory-based in pathology departments, diagnostic laboratories in hospitals, research institutes or industrial settings. Fieldwork or on-site sampling may also be required, depending on your area of specialism. You'll usually need to wear protective clothing, such as gloves, a lab coat and safety glasses, and follow strict health and safety protocols.
• You'll often work as part of a multidisciplinary team and will usually be responsible for managing your own workload.
• Fixed-term, contract and temporary work are available at graduate and technician level within a number of sectors.
• Research work can provide more variety and scope for innovation than routine identification or monitoring, which may be more structured and repetitive.
• You may need to travel during the day for meetings, site visits or sample collection. There may also be opportunities to travel within the UK and internationally to attend conferences, undertake training or participate in collaborative research projects.

Qualifications

You'll need a good honours degree in a relevant subject to become a microbiologist. Relevant degrees include:

• microbiology
• microbial sciences
• biomedical sciences
• molecular biology
• applied biology
• biological sciences
• biology (specialising in microbiology).

Courses such as biological sciences or applied biology provide a wide-ranging background prior to choosing a specialist area.

Some employers look for a postgraduate qualification such as a Masters or PhD. To work as a microbiology researcher in a university, you'll need a PhD in a relevant area of microbiology. Integrated postgraduate Masters qualifications such as the MBiol, MBiolSci or MSci may be particularly useful if you want to go onto a PhD.

To work as a clinical scientist in microbiology, you'll usually need to complete the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP). As part of the training, you'll complete an MSc in Clinical Science (Microbiology - Infection Sciences). There are separate scientist training schemes in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You can also train as a biomedical scientist.

If you don't have a degree, it may be possible to enter the profession in a laboratory technician role and gain experience and further qualifications to become a microbiologist.

You may also be able to enter the field via a level 6 science degree apprenticeship or a level 7 research scientist apprenticeship.

For more information on a career as a microbiologist, see the Microbiology Society.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• the ability to design and plan research investigations and experiments
• strong problem-solving and analytical skills
• excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
• the ability to work well collaboratively and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• organisational skills, with the ability to manage laboratory projects and workflows
• accuracy, a methodical approach to work and attention to detail
• strong IT and data analysis skills
• self-motivation and the ability to work with minimal supervision
• an understanding of, and commitment to, health and safety and quality standards.

Work experience

Having laboratory experience is useful when applying for jobs. If your degree doesn't include a year out in industry or research, consider doing a summer research project. Some organisations provide funding to support research work in laboratories over the summer. These include:

• Microbiology Society - offers a limited number of undergraduate vacation studentships
• Applied Microbiology International - offers undergraduate students and recent graduates the opportunity to gain experience via their Summer Studentship Grant.

Student membership of these bodies is also useful as it can provide valuable networking and career development opportunities.

You could also:

• check with your university careers service for information on internships and research placements
• search ABPI members' list for pharmaceutical companies you can contact speculatively for work experience or shadowing
• contact your local hospital laboratory to ask about work experience or shadowing opportunities.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

Microbiologists work across a range of sectors. One of the largest is research and analysis, where employers include:

• the NHS
• the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
• universities and research institutes
• private laboratories and contract research organisations (CROs)
• government departments and agencies, such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Food Standards Agency.

In the manufacturing and industrial sector, microbiologists are employed by:

• pharmaceutical, biotechnology, biochemical and agrichemical companies
• food and beverage manufacturers
• personal care, homecare and healthcare product manufacturers
• bioscience and life sciences companies.

Microbiologists are also employed in environmental and public health roles by:

• water companies
• the Environment Agency (EA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
• waste management companies
• environmental consultants.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Civil Service Jobs
• Jobs.ac.uk - academic, research and higher education jobs.
• Nature Careers
• New Scientist Jobs
• NHS Jobs and NHSScotland Jobs

Specialist recruitment agencies include:

• CK Group
• Jobs in Science
• SRG

Professional development

Training opportunities vary depending on your specialism and employer. On-the-job training is common and may focus on specific techniques or equipment. Training on new equipment may be delivered by the manufacturers.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential. Activities may include attending conferences, publishing research, mentoring and teaching. Professional bodies such as the Microbiology Society and Applied Microbiology International offer CPD resources and training relevant to your area of work.

Larger organisations, particularly those involved in research, may support further study for Masters or PhD qualifications.

If you're working as a clinical scientist in microbiology, you may train to become a consultant clinical scientist via the NHS Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) programme, a five-year, doctoral-level, work-based training programme.

Career prospects

There are good opportunities for career progression. In the NHS, for example, it's possible to progress from biomedical scientist or clinical scientist roles to senior or lead roles, and potentially to consultant clinical scientist via further specialist training. At senior levels, you'll take on more managerial and strategic responsibilities.

Your degree specialism or first job may influence your future options, and geographical mobility can improve access to research or specialist roles. In academia, progression typically follows a path from postdoctoral researcher to lecturer, senior lecturer and professor.

In industry, you might start as a microbiology analyst or laboratory technician, progressing to microbiologist, senior microbiologist or research scientist roles. With experience, you could move into team leadership, quality assurance, regulatory affairs or product development.

Some microbiologists advance to principal scientist or head of microbiology positions, especially in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, food and drink, and personal care products. Opportunities also exist to specialise in areas like industrial microbiology, biofilms or microbial contamination control.

There are also opportunities to specialise in areas such as bacteriology, virology, mycology or parasitology, either in research, public health or industry. It's important to maintain a professional profile by applying for research grants, presenting research at conferences and undertaking work exchanges abroad.

Experienced microbiologists may also move into related areas such as teaching, scientific publishing, regulatory affairs, pharmaceutical sales, patent work or consultancy.