Occupation · SOC 19-1029.03
Geneticists
Research and study the inheritance of traits at the molecular, organism or population level. May evaluate or treat patients with genetic disorders.
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
Reading ComprehensionScienceWritingSpeakingJudgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningActive LearningMathematicsLearning StrategiesMonitoringInstructingSystems AnalysisSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionManagement of Personnel ResourcesCoordinationTime ManagementSystems EvaluationService OrientationNegotiationOperations MonitoringQuality Control AnalysisOperations AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTroubleshootingTechnology DesignProgrammingOperation and ControlEquipment SelectionRepairingInstallationEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
BiologyEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingMathematicsChemistryComputers and ElectronicsMedicine and DentistryAdministration and ManagementPersonnel and Human ResourcesCommunications and MediaEngineering and TechnologyAdministrativePhysicsPsychologySociology and AnthropologyLaw and GovernmentPublic Safety and SecurityTherapy and CounselingPhilosophy and TheologyEconomics and AccountingTelecommunicationsMechanicalHistory and ArcheologyGeographyCustomer and Personal ServiceProduction and ProcessingForeign LanguageDesignSales and MarketingTransportationFine ArtsBuilding and ConstructionFood Production
Technology & tools
Basic Local Alignment Search Tool BLASTBioinformatics databasesC++ClustalWDatabase softwareDeoxyribonucleic acid DNA sequence analysis softwareEmail softwareFormula translation/translator FORTRANGitGitHubGolden Helix HelixTreeHapMapInsightful S-PLUSLinuxMendelMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Visual C# .NETMicrosoft WordOracle JavaPHYLIPPerlPlate reader softwarePythonRRTI International SUDAANSASSAS JMPSAS/GeneticsSage Accounting SoftwareStructured query language SQLUNIXWard Systems Group GeneHunterWeb browser software
Representative tasks
Getting InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationAnalyzing Data or InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsProcessing InformationWorking with ComputersOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkThinking CreativelyCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesTraining and Teaching OthersInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationCoaching and Developing OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleAssisting and Caring for OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsStaffing Organizational UnitsHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Laboratory notebooks — maintain with accurate documentation of genetic research methods, procedures, and results under faculty or senior researcher supervision.Scientific literature — search and summarize relevant publications to identify established protocols appropriate for assigned genomics research tasks.Genetic laboratory results — review and interpret standard outputs such as gel electrophoresis or sequencing data with guidance from a supervising geneticist.Analytical or scientific software — operate tools such as BLAST or genome browsers to process and visualize basic genomic datasets in a research lab setting.Research conferences and journal articles — attend and read regularly to begin building awareness of current findings in molecular genetics and genomics.Experimental data — collect and organize using spreadsheet software and database interfaces under direct oversight on an ongoing research project.Research methods — apply established protocols for nucleic acid extraction, amplification, or protein analysis following standard operating procedures in a genetics laboratory.Written research summaries — draft preliminary sections of manuscripts or reports describing experimental findings for review by senior investigators.Grant application components — contribute background sections and literature reviews to funding proposals under the direction of a principal investigator.Critical thinking and problem sensitivity — identify anomalies in experimental results and escalate concerns to supervising researchers in a structured lab environment.
developing
Genomic and biological research — plan and execute assigned experiments investigating gene expression regulation or protein interactions with moderate independence in an academic or industry lab.Scientific literature — systematically evaluate and synthesize published studies to select and adapt methods best suited to current genetic research objectives.Laboratory notebooks and records — maintain comprehensive and audit-ready documentation of experimental workflows and outcomes across multiple concurrent research projects.Genetic laboratory results — review, interpret, and report findings from sequencing, genotyping, or expression assays with limited supervisory oversight.Data analysis pipelines — apply object-oriented or scripted analytical tools to mine and interpret large genomic datasets in a computational research environment.Research manuscripts — draft complete sections of peer-reviewed papers describing methods, results, and discussion for submission to scientific journals.Conference presentations — prepare and deliver research findings at professional genetics or genomics conferences, translating complex data for specialist audiences.Junior technicians and graduate students — provide day-to-day guidance on laboratory techniques and data interpretation within an active research group.Grant sections — author specific aims, research strategy, and preliminary data components of extramural funding applications under principal investigator leadership.Metabolic networks and nucleic acid complexes — investigate functional relationships using bioinformatics and wet-lab approaches in a translational or basic science setting.
proficient
Basic and applied genomics research programs — design and independently conduct investigations into gene regulation, protein interactions, and nucleic acid complexes across the full experimental lifecycle.Research methods and procedures — critically evaluate and innovate upon published protocols, adapting them to novel genetic questions without supervisory input in a high-throughput laboratory.Peer-reviewed publications — author and revise complete manuscripts for submission to high-impact genetics and genomics journals, responding to reviewer critiques autonomously.Professional conference presentations — develop and deliver invited talks synthesizing original research findings for national and international specialist audiences.Grant proposals — independently write and submit competitive extramural grant applications to agencies such as NIH or NSF, including all scientific and administrative components.Genetic laboratory results — interpret complex or ambiguous genomic data, resolve technical discrepancies, and authorize final reports in clinical or research laboratory settings.Research teams — direct the daily activities of technicians, biologists, and biometricians, assigning tasks and ensuring scientific rigor across multiple simultaneous projects.Emerging technologies — evaluate and integrate next-generation sequencing, single-cell omics, or CRISPR-based tools into existing research programs based on ongoing literature monitoring.Systems analysis — model and analyze gene regulatory networks and metabolic pathways using advanced bioinformatics software to generate mechanistic hypotheses.Scientific communication — translate technical genetic findings into accessible presentations for multidisciplinary collaborators, clinical partners, or science policy stakeholders.
advanced
Institutional research programs — set the strategic scientific vision and long-range agenda for a genetics division, department, or center at an academic medical center or biotechnology organization.Cross-disciplinary research portfolios — lead collaborative projects spanning genomics, bioinformatics, and clinical genetics, coordinating contributions across multiple institutions or industry partners.Research workforce — recruit, mentor, and evaluate geneticists, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, fostering a culture of scientific rigor and innovation at organizational scale.Major grant portfolios — secure and steward large programmatic funding mechanisms such as NIH program projects or center grants, overseeing budget allocation and compliance across the enterprise.Scientific publication strategy — guide the publication agenda of an entire research group, ensuring high-impact dissemination of discoveries in leading genetics and genomics journals.Field-level knowledge synthesis — chair or serve on national conference scientific committees, curating and shaping the discourse on advances in gene regulation, genomics, and related disciplines.Research ethics and governance — establish laboratory and institutional standards for data integrity, biosafety, and responsible genomic research, serving on IRBs or biosafety committees.Technology and platform innovation — champion the adoption and institutional implementation of transformative genomic technologies, influencing organizational infrastructure investment decisions.Scientific policy and advocacy — represent the institution in external advisory roles to government agencies, foundations, or professional societies to advance funding and regulatory priorities in genetics.Learning and development culture — design and institutionalize training curricula, mentorship frameworks, and learning strategies that build the next generation of genetics researchers across career stages.
Also known as
28 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Academic Pediatric GeneticistBehavioral GeneticistCardiovascular GeneticistClinical Biochemical GeneticistClinical CytogeneticistClinical GeneticistClinical Molecular GeneticistComputational GeneticistCrop Quantitative GeneticistGenetic ScientistGeneticistGenomics ScientistLaboratory Geneticist (Lab Geneticist)Medical GeneticistMolecular GeneticistPediatric Clinical GeneticistPediatric GeneticistPediatric Medical GeneticistPharmacogeneticistPlants GeneticistPopulation GeneticistPostdoctoral Fellow (Postdoc Fellow)Proteomics ScientistResearch GeneticistResearch ScientistScientistStatistical GeneticistSwine Genetics Researcher