1. Agricultural Careers Microbiologist Dr. Frank Flanders and Asha Wise ~ Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office ~ Georgia Department of Education ~ April 2006

2. Job Duties & Responsibilities Independent research Testing Working on specific projects Quality control monitoring Genetic engineering Writing grant proposals for research funding Presenting the results of an experiment, either in writing or speaking

3. Qualities and Skills Be able to work both independently and within a team Express a curiosity and interest in science Have effective communication skills, both oral and written Have a good memory Be observant Pay close attention to detail Have patience when working on long projects Have tenacity to get the job completed

4. Salary Median annual earnings of microbiologists was $51,020 in 2002 Middle 50% earned between $39,100 and $67,420 Lowest 10% earned less than $31,250 Highest 10% earned more than $87,060

5. Physical Requirements Good vision for viewing in a microscope Excellent hand-eye coordination for handling lab equipment Physical stamina for collecting samples in nature Strong immune system, if working with dangerous microbes

6. Education A Ph.D. is usually necessary for independent research, industrial research, and college teaching, and for advancement to administrative positions. A master’s degree is sufficient for jobs in basic research, applied research or product development, management, or inspection. A bachelor’s degree is adequate for non-research jobs or with courses in education such as a high school biology teacher. Many with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology enter medical, dental, veterinary, or other health profession schools.

7. Career Resources American Society for Microbiology Office of Education and Training 1752 North Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036 http://www.asmusa.org Society for Industrial Microbiology 3929 Old Lee Highway, Suite 92A Fairfax, Virginia 22030-2421 http://simhq.org The Microbiology Network http://www.microbiol.org How to Become a Microbiologist http://www.microbe.org/careers/become.asp