Biologist

Biologists are scientists who have completed a course of study in field biology. Around two- thirds of all biologists working in the areas of school, college and research, most of them as teachers in public schools.

Represent the interests of biologists to understand the association of German biologists and life science professional societies.

The study in Biology

Places for a bachelor's or master's degree program in biology will be awarded in Germany generally by the individual universities. Study courses for biology degree " teaching " are awarded only for North Rhine -Westphalia by the Foundation for university admission, otherwise applications must be sent directly to the universities. Since the German universities generally have the right to develop their own selection criteria for the award of places, it is imperative for potential applicants to learn exactly what the applicable conditions for application of the desired study location, to estimate the chances of approval can.

For teacher training in biology, the Federal Employment Agency recommends that with regard to the future career opportunities as a subject, especially the study of chemistry, alternatively studying in another scientific field. Indeed, the combination of Biology / Chemistry easier within the standard period of study to complete at most universities as for example the combination of biology and a foreign language.

The students are in Germany today female to more than 60 percent.

Biologists today

Until the 1970s, the training was in biology, at least in the basic study, two main points: first, to learn about the biodiversity and on the other a training in the most important physiological processes of the cells and organs of animals and plants. In the following years, environmental and neurobiological issues gained increasing importance ( and this opens up opportunities for a professional activity ), today it is mainly the parts of genetics and genetic engineering and microbiology and molecular biology, which are typical of areas of activity of biologists.

A major problem for biologists today is that jobs in industry and commerce will gladly given to applicants with doctorates with considerable professional experience and low age, but often at best at research institutions have biologists immediately after studying a chance to graduate; there but they do not acquire a rule - desired by industry and trade - business knowledge.

The job market for biologists

The chance to find a permanent job after the academic training, is relatively low for biologists in Germany for many years. Although of this field important impetus for the research go out, for example in the field of biotechnology (especially genetic engineering ), cellular biology (cancer research ), environmental research and brain research, this has not been depressed in the opinion of the Federal Employment Agency in the labor market. Biologists are therefore mainly rely on to find employment in research organizations, which are financed by the public sector. Their positions are advertised but usually with a time limit of a maximum of five years.

In the private sector biologists compete with applications for a job often with biochemists, physicians and pharmacists, and are often compared to those at a disadvantage because the training profile of biologists is less contoured compared to other science subjects. The advantage then those biologists who have, for example, in addition to skilled studied pharmacy and pharmacology or acquired knowledge of business subjects that can demonstrate sound computer and foreign language skills, as well as abroad.

Permanent employment therefore biologists often find in niches such as those of the pharmaceutical consultant in the field of clinical trials of medicinal products, as product manager in pharmaceutical companies, as a scientific information specialists (see also Medicine ) as well as in the field of museum education and science journalism. Also for the maintenance and repair of technical equipment on behalf of the manufacturers biologists are employed because they have mastered both the technical side of the device know as well as the work processes in a laboratory.

The starting salary of biologists is in the public service at about 35,000 euros per year in the industry, however in some cases significantly higher. In the long term permanent employees, received his PhD biologists can expect to work with a content of more than 50,000 euros per year, according to the Federal agency.

In addition to working in an official or employee status biologists can also act as a freelancer.