Description
Biological technologists and technicians provide technical support and services to scientists, engineers and other professionals working in fields such as agriculture, resource management, environmental protection, plant and animal biology, microbiology, cell and molecular biology and health sciences, or may work independently in these fields. They are employed in both laboratory and field settings by governments, manufacturers of food products, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, biotechnology companies, health, research and educational institutions, environmental consulting companies, and resource and utilities companies.
Job Titles
- Agronomy technologist
- Bacteriological technologist
- Biological forensic laboratory technologist
- Biological technologist
- Botanical technologist
- Ecological technologist
- Marine culture technologist
- Marine farming technologist
- Microbiology technologist (except medical)
- Mycological technologist
- Sea-farming technologist
Main Duties
- Set up and conduct biological, microbiological and biochemical tests and laboratory analyses in support of research and quality control in food production, sanitation, pharmaceutical production, biotechnology and other fields
- Apply methods and techniques such as microscopy, histochemistry, chromatography, electrophoresis and spectroscopy
- Perform experimental procedures in agriculture, plant breeding, animal husbandry, biology and biomedical research
- Conduct field research and surveys to collect data and samples of water, soil, and plant and animal populations
- Conduct environmental monitoring and compliance activities for the protection of fisheries stock, wildlife and other natural resources
- Analyze data and prepare reports
- Conduct or supervise operational programs such as fish hatchery, greenhouse and livestock production programs.
Workplaces
- Biotechnology companies
- Chemical and pharmaceutical companies
- Education institutions
- Environmental consulting firms
- Governments
- Health institutions
- Manufacturers of food products
- Research institutions
- Resource and utilities companies
Skills
- Evaluation
- Numeracy
- Operation Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment
- Quality Control Testing
- Coordinating
Abilities
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Categorization Flexibility
- Deductive Reasoning
- Fluency of Ideas
- Inductive Reasoning
Personal Attributes
- Active Learning
- Adaptability
- Analytical Thinking
- Attention to Detail
- Innovativeness
Similar Occupations
- Agricultural and fish products inspectors (22111)
- Forestry technologists and technicians (22112)
- Conservation and fishery officers (22113)
- Medical laboratory assistants and related technical occupations (33101)
- Medical laboratory technologists (32120)
- Biomedical engineering technologist (in 22310.01 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists)
Source: OaSIS
Employment Outlook
The employment outlook will be good for Biological technologists and technicians (22110) in Prince Edward Island for the 2022-2024 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
- Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
- A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
- There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
The prospect for employment for chemical technologists and technicians is considered positive given ongoing growth in the Island’s bioscience sector. Recent developments, like the construction of the biomanufacturing training facility and bioscience manufacturing incubator; and new federal-provincial investment in the BioAccelerator project (to be used for research, manufacturing and training), will further position the sector for growth over the forecast period. When completed, these developments will create more jobs and training opportunities in the province.
Biological technologists and technicians are employed across many industries, one of the largest being in the public administration sector in federal and provincial government departments. Agriculture is also one of the main markets served by these workers. The sector is strong in its use of scientific methodology in crop and animal production. Common employment requirements include the completion of a college diploma or degree in an area such as agriculture, microbiology and biotechnology. Candidates with laboratory and research experience will have better prospects.
Here are some key facts about Biological technologists and technicians in Prince Edward Island:
- Approximately 250 people work in this occupation.
- Biological technologists and technicians mainly work in the following sectors:
- Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 28%
- Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 21%
- Agriculture (NAICS 111, 112, 1151, 1152): 19%
- Chemical manufacturing (NAICS 325): 18%
- Other services (except public administration) (NAICS 81): 8%
- The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
- Full-time workers: 94% compared to 84% for all occupations
- Part-time workers: 6% compared to 16% for all occupations
- 67% of biological technologists and technicians work all year, while 33% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
- The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
- Men: 54% compared to 51% for all occupations
- Women: 46% compared to 49% for all occupations
- The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
- no high school diploma: n/a
- high school diploma or equivalent: 11% compared to 28% for all occupations
- apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
- college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 39% compared to 25% for all occupations
- bachelor’s degree: 32% compared to 17% for all occupations
- university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 16% compared to 8% for all occupations
Source: Job Bank
Prevailing Wages
| AREA | LOW | MEDIAN | HIGH |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $19.25 | $28.94 | $38.97 |
| Canada | $17.28 | $27.00 | $38.46 |
Training
| TRAINING PROGRAM | INSTITUTION | CREDENTIAL |
|---|---|---|
| Bioscience Technology | Holland College | Diploma |
| Bioscience Technology | Holland College | Post-Graduate Certificate |
| Bioscience Joint Degree | Holland College | Diploma |
| Biotechnology | UPEI | Undergraduate |
| BSc in Biotechnology | UPEI | Undergraduate |
There are currently no job listings for this occupation on WorkPEI.