Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals

Biologists, botanists, zoologists and related professionals study living organisms and their interactions with each other and with the environment, and apply this knowledge to solve human health and environmental problems. They work in diverse fields such as botany, zoology, ecology, marine biology, genetics, immunology, pharmacology, toxicology, physiology, bacteriology and virology.

Duties and tasks

• Undertaking research in laboratories and in the field to increase scientific knowledge of living organisms, to discover new information, to test hypotheses, to solve problems in areas such as the environment, agriculture and health, and to develop new products, processes and techniques for pharmaceutical, agricultural and environmental use
• Designing and conducting experiments and tests
• Gathering human, animal, insect and plant specimens and data, and studying their origin, development, chemical and physical form, structure, composition, and life and reproductive processes
• Examining living organisms using a variety of specialised equipment, instruments, technologies and techniques such as electron microscopes, telemetry, global positioning systems, biotechnology, satellite imaging, genetic engineering, digital imaging analysis, polymerase chain reaction and computer modelling
• Identifying, classifying, recording and monitoring living organisms and maintaining databases
• Writing scientific papers and reports detailing research and any new findings which are then made available to the scientific community in scientific journals or at conferences for scrutiny and further debate
• Designing and carrying out environmental impact assessments to identify changes caused by natural or human factors
• Providing advice to governments, organizations and businesses in areas such as conservation, management of natural resources, and the effects of climate change and pollution