Occupation · SOC 25-1042
Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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—
Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
2,706 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingInstructingLearning StrategiesReading ComprehensionActive ListeningScienceActive LearningWriting
Knowledge areas
BiologyEnglish LanguageMathematicsChemistryEducation and Training
Technology & tools
Analytical or scientific softwareComputer based training softwareData base user interface and query softwareCalendar and scheduling softwareWord processing software
Representative tasks
Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany.Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.Prepare materials for laboratory activities and course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.Supervise students' laboratory work.Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.Provide students course-related experiences, such as field trips, outside the classroom.Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.Review papers for publication in journals.Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.Maintain or repair lab equipment.Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.Participate in campus and community events, such as giving presentations to the public.Act as advisers to student organizations.Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Undergraduate and graduate student assignments — evaluate and grade using established rubrics under faculty mentorship in a university biology department.Introductory biology lectures — prepare and deliver to undergraduate cohorts on foundational topics such as cell biology or ecology, following a provided course outline.Laboratory activity materials — assemble and organize under the guidance of a supervising professor for scheduled undergraduate lab sessions.Course syllabi and homework handouts — draft initial versions using department templates and word processing software for review by senior faculty.Classroom discussions on biological concepts — facilitate with direction from a supervising instructor, applying active listening to manage student participation.Student laboratory work — monitor and assist during scheduled sessions, following established safety protocols and experimental procedures.Current biological science literature — read and summarize key findings to stay informed of disciplinary developments under the guidance of a research mentor.Student attendance and grade records — maintain accurately in university information systems in compliance with departmental recordkeeping requirements.Scientific and educational software tools — use analytical platforms and course management systems under supervision to support instructional tasks.Active learning strategies — apply basic techniques such as think-pair-share and guided inquiry in small undergraduate classroom settings with faculty oversight.
developing
Student class work, lab reports, and papers — evaluate and grade consistently across undergraduate and graduate courses, providing constructive written feedback aligned with learning objectives.Lectures on specialized topics such as molecular biology or marine biology — prepare and deliver independently to undergraduate and graduate audiences, adjusting depth based on course level.Laboratory exercises — supervise student work in an active university lab setting, troubleshooting procedural issues and enforcing safety standards with reduced oversight.Course materials including syllabi and assignment sequences — develop and refine for assigned sections, incorporating current disciplinary content and department learning outcomes.Classroom discussions on complex biological phenomena — initiate and moderate, using social perceptiveness to gauge comprehension and redirect conversation productively.Professional literature, conferences, and collegial networks — engage routinely to integrate emerging findings from biology and chemistry into course content.Curriculum components — evaluate and propose revisions to a program coordinator, applying evidence-based instructional strategies informed by learning science.Student records and institutional reporting requirements — manage independently using database and calendar software, meeting all administrative deadlines.Inductive and deductive reasoning — apply when designing problem-based assessments that challenge students to connect biological theory to experimental data.Geographic information systems and graphics software — incorporate into course materials and lectures to illustrate spatial and visual biological concepts to diverse student groups.
proficient
Full course curricula in biological sciences — plan, evaluate, and revise autonomously across multiple undergraduate and graduate offerings, aligning content with disciplinary standards and accreditation requirements.Advanced graduate seminars on topics such as botany or systems biology — prepare and deliver with scholarly depth, integrating primary literature and original research findings.Non-routine pedagogical challenges — address independently, designing differentiated instructional approaches for students with varied preparation levels in a research-intensive university environment.Complex laboratory investigations — supervise across multiple simultaneous projects, guiding graduate students through experimental design, data analysis, and scientific writing.Scholarly and professional development — maintain by critically reading high-impact journals, presenting at national conferences, and sustaining active collegial networks in the biological sciences.Critical thinking and complex problem-solving tasks — model and scaffold through course design, requiring students to apply biological and mathematical reasoning to authentic research questions.Comprehensive student performance data — analyze across course sections using monitoring and judgment skills to identify learning gaps and implement targeted instructional interventions.Interdisciplinary course content spanning biology, chemistry, and medicine — synthesize coherently for graduate audiences, drawing on deep domain knowledge across multiple knowledge areas.Oral and written communication of scientific content — execute with high clarity in lectures, written course materials, and published instructional resources appropriate for graduate-level learners.Technology-enhanced instruction — design and deploy using analytical software, computer-based training tools, and information retrieval systems to enrich student engagement with biological data.
advanced
Departmental or program-wide biological science curricula — lead the strategic design, evaluation, and revision of at an institutional or multi-institutional scale, setting standards for content quality and pedagogical innovation.Junior faculty, postdoctoral instructors, and graduate teaching assistants — mentor and develop through structured observation, feedback, and professional modeling within a university biological sciences department.Research and teaching integration frameworks — establish across a department or college, ensuring faculty scholarly activity informs and elevates instructional quality at every course level.Institutional academic policies and accreditation processes — influence by representing the biological sciences faculty in governance committees, contributing expertise in curriculum standards and assessment.Externally funded research and educational grant portfolios — lead the development and oversight of, directing interdisciplinary teams and translating findings into innovations in biological science education.Organizational culture of intellectual curiosity and academic integrity — model and cultivate across a faculty community by championing innovation in teaching practice and scientific inquiry.National and international professional discourse — shape by presenting keynote research at scientific conferences, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and advising on disciplinary standards bodies.Complex, cross-departmental instructional challenges — resolve through evidence-informed decision making, drawing on deep expertise in biology, education, and institutional administration.Strategic adoption of emerging educational technologies — direct at the program level, evaluating analytical, GIS, and course management platforms for their capacity to advance student learning outcomes.Doctoral student scholarly and professional development — guide comprehensively from dissertation inception through career placement, exercising high-level judgment in advising on research design, publication, and academic positioning.
Also known as
101 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
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