Occupation · SOC 19-1029.02
Molecular and Cellular Biologists
Research and study cellular molecules and organelles to understand cell function and organization.
Median wage
$93,330
$54,500–$159,780
Projected growth
+1.3%
Slower than average
Annual openings
80
per year
Employed (US)
59,710
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
1,984 mapped
Core skills
ScienceReading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningLearning StrategiesActive LearningMonitoringMathematicsInstructingSocial PerceptivenessTime ManagementPersuasionOperations AnalysisCoordinationSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisNegotiationManagement of Personnel ResourcesQuality Control AnalysisOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesService OrientationOperation and ControlManagement of Financial ResourcesProgrammingTroubleshootingTechnology DesignEquipment SelectionRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
BiologyEnglish LanguageChemistryMathematicsEducation and TrainingComputers and ElectronicsMedicine and DentistryAdministration and ManagementCommunications and MediaAdministrativePhysicsPersonnel and Human ResourcesPublic Safety and SecurityEngineering and TechnologyMechanicalDesignPsychologyEconomics and AccountingProduction and ProcessingTelecommunicationsLaw and GovernmentSociology and AnthropologyPhilosophy and TheologyTherapy and CounselingForeign LanguageSales and MarketingCustomer and Personal ServiceHistory and ArcheologyGeographyFine ArtsBuilding and ConstructionTransportationFood Production
Technology & tools
AcaClone pDRAW32Adobe IllustratorAgilent CGH AnalyticsAgilent Technologies GeneSpring GXBasic Local Alignment Search Tool BLASTBlast Output Browser BOBC++CRI-MAPClustalWCorel CorelDraw Graphics SuiteCorel WordPerfect Office SuiteData mining softwareDelilaDeoxyribonucleic acid DNA librariesEnzymeXFASTAFASTLINKGene Recognition and Assembly Internet Link GRAILGenotyping softwareGeospiza GeneSifterGitGraphPad Software GraphPad PrismLaboratory information management system LIMSMagma Design Automation softwareMathsoft MathcadMendelMichigan State University MSU ProFlexMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordMinitabMolecular Devices Corporation MetaMorphNetPrimerPHYLIPPrimer3PythonRRasMol
Representative tasks
Analyzing Data or InformationGetting InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeProcessing InformationWorking with ComputersMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsThinking CreativelyCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkTraining and Teaching OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleCoaching and Developing OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsDeveloping and Building TeamsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersPerforming Administrative ActivitiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersControlling Machines and ProcessesResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsHandling and Moving ObjectsAssisting and Caring for OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentPerforming for or Working Directly with the Public
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Laboratory records and experimental data — maintain accurately using standardized templates and electronic lab notebooks under faculty or senior researcher supervision in an academic or industry research setting.Standard molecular biology protocols — execute under direct oversight, including DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and gel electrophoresis, in a supervised wet-lab environment.RNA purification and basic cloning procedures — perform by following established step-by-step protocols under close mentorship in a molecular biology research laboratory.Scientific literature — read and summarize relevant journal articles to support understanding of assigned research questions in a graduate or postdoctoral research context.Experimental data — record, organize, and perform preliminary analysis using spreadsheet software under direction in a research team environment.Cell culture and basic cell biology techniques — carry out routine maintenance tasks following documented safety and procedural guidelines in a biosafety-level-appropriate laboratory.Laboratory meetings and scientific seminars — participate actively by asking clarifying questions and summarizing key findings as a junior contributor in an academic research group.Research presentations — prepare introductory slides and posters using presentation software under guidance from a principal investigator or senior colleague.Biological databases and bioinformatics portals — navigate and retrieve sequence or functional data as directed to support ongoing molecular research projects.Laboratory safety and regulatory compliance — follow all applicable protocols, including hazardous material handling and waste disposal, under supervision in a research laboratory setting.
developing
Laboratory records and datasets — maintain, version-control, and audit routinely using electronic lab notebook and file versioning software with reduced oversight in a research laboratory.Molecular and cellular experiments — design at the individual project level, execute with minimal supervision, and interpret results in the context of published literature within an academic or biotech research environment.DNA sequencing, site-directed mutagenesis, and RNA sequencing workflows — perform and troubleshoot independently, adapting protocols to address common technical challenges in a mid-career research role.Cell signaling and gene expression studies — conduct with growing autonomy, applying appropriate controls and statistical analysis to validate findings in a mammalian or model-organism research system.Research manuscripts and progress reports — draft, revise, and submit with limited editorial guidance, following journal style requirements and institutional reporting standards.Grant pre-proposals and fellowship applications — contribute substantively to writing sections covering background, significance, and experimental design under senior investigator guidance.Undergraduate research assistants and rotation students — instruct in core techniques, safety procedures, and scientific reasoning within a university research or training laboratory.Analytical or scientific software platforms — apply routinely for data processing, statistical analysis, and visualization, selecting appropriate tools for standard bioinformatics and imaging tasks.Laboratory scheduling and supply inventory — coordinate and prioritize to ensure efficient workflow across multiple concurrent experiments in a shared research laboratory.Complex problem-solving in experimental failures — diagnose root causes and implement corrective measures independently using systematic troubleshooting approaches in a cellular or molecular biology setting.
proficient
Multi-experiment research programs — design, oversee full execution, and interpret results autonomously across the complete project lifecycle, including non-routine and novel biological systems in an academic, government, or industry research environment.Comprehensive laboratory records and data management systems — establish and enforce standards for data integrity, reproducibility, and archiving across an entire research group.Full-length grant applications — write independently, synthesizing scientific literature, articulating specific aims, and justifying experimental approaches to secure extramural funding from federal agencies or private foundations.Cell differentiation, cellular bioinformatics, and cell organization research — conduct at a senior expert level, integrating multi-omics data and advanced imaging to address fundamental biological questions.Research manuscripts, reviews, and book chapters — author and revise to publication standard, serving as corresponding author and responding to peer reviewer critiques across high-impact journals.Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers — mentor and instruct in advanced experimental design, scientific writing, and career development within a university or research institute environment.Non-routine molecular phenomena and contradictory datasets — evaluate critically, apply inductive and deductive reasoning, and generate innovative hypotheses to advance understanding in the field.Laboratory operations including budgets, personnel, and regulatory compliance — direct and prioritize to sustain a productive, safe, and ethically sound research program.External scientific presentations and conference talks — deliver authoritatively, representing original research findings to specialist and interdisciplinary audiences at national and international meetings.Advanced data mining and bioinformatics software pipelines — deploy and customize to analyze large-scale genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic datasets, interpreting results within the broader biological context.
advanced
Long-range research strategy and scientific vision — set and communicate at the departmental or organizational level, defining priority questions in molecular and cellular biology that guide resource allocation and hiring decisions.Large-scale grant portfolios and center-level funding initiatives — lead development and submission, coordinating multi-investigator teams and aligning scientific goals with agency priorities and institutional strategic plans.Scientific workforce — develop systematically through structured mentorship programs, training curricula, and performance frameworks that advance the careers of graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty.Interdisciplinary and cross-institutional research collaborations — initiate, organize, and sustain, negotiating intellectual property, data-sharing agreements, and publication credit across academic, government, and industry partners.Departmental and institutional research policies — influence and shape, including biosafety, research integrity, and diversity initiatives, through committee leadership and senior administrative roles.Field-wide knowledge gaps and emerging methodologies — identify proactively and champion adoption of transformative technologies such as single-cell multi-omics or CRISPR-based functional genomics across the research organization.Peer review and editorial leadership — provide at the journal, study section, or program officer level, evaluating scientific rigor and impact to guide funding and publication decisions across the discipline.Organizational laboratory infrastructure and capital equipment investments — evaluate and decide upon, aligning technology acquisition with long-term scientific and institutional priorities.Public and stakeholder communication — translate complex molecular and cellular biology findings into policy-relevant or commercially actionable insights for government agencies, boards of directors, or the general public.Culture of scientific innovation, intellectual curiosity, and ethical practice — model and institutionalize at the organizational level, establishing norms that sustain high-impact, reproducible, and responsible research.
Also known as
28 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
BiologistBiology ResearcherCell BiologistCell Biology ScientistCellular BiologistDNA Sequencing AssociateElectrophysiologistMolecular BiologistMolecular Biology ResearcherMolecular Biology ScientistMolecular Biology SpecialistMolecular Research BiologistMolecular Research ScientistMolecular TechnologistNeurophysiologistPostdoctoral Research Associate (Postdoc Research Associate)Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Postdoc Research Fellow)Postdoctoral Researcher (Postdoc Researcher)Postdoctoral Scholar (Postdoc Scholar)Purification ScientistResearch AssociateResearch ScientistResearch TechnicianResearcherScientistStructural BiologistStructural Biology Research Laboratory SpecialistSynthetic Biology Researcher