Life Scientists nec
What the work is
This is the official catch-all entry for life scientists not listed separately. Tasks vary, so look at the related occupations below for what similar work involves.
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a microbiology laboratory that tests food and water, and a coastal reef research team. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A mystery contamination is traced to its source and the plant can fix it
- You see something through a microscope that nobody in the room has seen before
- Your survey data helps protect a patch of reef that was due to be dredged
Hard days
- A test result you believe in is not what a client wanted to hear
- Early starts and wet suits in cold water, followed by days of counting and recording
- A contaminated sample and a client who is also a friend
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 244699, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.