Geneticists
Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.
Also known as: Academic Pediatric Geneticist, Behavioral Geneticist, Cardiovascular Geneticist, Clinical Biochemical Geneticist, Clinical Cytogeneticist, Clinical Geneticist, Clinical Molecular Geneticist, Computational Geneticist, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (Slower than average)
What You'd Do
- Write grants and papers or attend fundraising events to seek research funds.
- Verify that cytogenetic, molecular genetic, and related equipment and instrumentation is maintained in working condition to ensure accuracy and quality of experimental results.
- Maintain laboratory safety programs and train personnel in laboratory safety techniques.
- Instruct medical students, graduate students, or others in methods or procedures for diagnosis and management of genetic disorders.
- Confer with information technology specialists to develop computer applications for genetic data analysis.
- Collaborate with biologists and other professionals to conduct appropriate genetic and biochemical analyses.
- Attend clinical and research conferences and read scientific literature to keep abreast of technological advances and current genetic research findings.
- Supervise or direct the work of other geneticists, biologists, technicians, or biometricians working on genetics research projects.
- Review, approve, or interpret genetic laboratory results.
- Search scientific literature to select and modify methods and procedures most appropriate for genetic research goals.
- Prepare results of experimental findings for presentation at professional conferences or in scientific journals.
- Maintain laboratory notebooks that record research methods, procedures, and results.
- Extract deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or perform diagnostic tests involving processes such as gel electrophoresis, Southern blot analysis, and polymerase chain reaction analysis.
- Evaluate genetic data by performing appropriate mathematical or statistical calculations and analyses.
- Develop protocols to improve existing genetic techniques or to incorporate new diagnostic procedures.
- Design sampling plans or coordinate the field collection of samples such as tissue specimens.
- Create or use statistical models for the analysis of genetic data.
- 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.
- Analyze determinants responsible for specific inherited traits, and devise methods for altering traits or producing new traits.
- Plan curatorial programs for species collections that include acquisition, distribution, maintenance, or regeneration.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
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In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
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Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.