Most biochemistry graduates are at the cross road of decision after graduation. This presentation is a guide for Biochemistry graduates who are considering entry levels careers or entrepreneurial opportunities.

1. Career Opportunities for
Biochemistry Graduates:
Part I

2. Introduction
 A Biochemistry graduate, has a wide variety of career options
because of the transferable, and highly employable skills you
can develop while pursuing a bachelor's degree in biochemistry.
 You could work in pharmaceutical, food, agro industries; in
hospitals; at a university, become a science teacher or even a
patent law attorney, just to name a few.
 Biochemistry programs are also excellent preparation for
professional schooling in a wide variety of fields, ranging
from dentistry, Pharmacy and medicine, to business
administration and law.

3. Biochemistry Admission
Biochemistry Graduate
3 or 4 years of
studies
1 year of service/work
experience
Entry-Level Jobs
Postgraduate Studies
Entrepreneurs
MSc Degree
National Youth Service Corp
(for some countries like Nigeria)
PhD Degree
Postgraduate Diploma
(If you change field of study)
Mid-Level Jobs
Senior-Level Jobs
Work
experience
Freelancers
Professional
Schools

4. Transferrable Skills
 As a biochemistry graduate, you’ve gained transferable
skills and you’ll make a competent employee in almost any
industry, and in virtually any profession. The transferable
skills you can gain as a student include:
 Analytical skills
 Numeracy and math
 Preparing reports
 Presentation skills
 Time management
 Problem solving and logical thinking
 Skills with various computer applications
 Planning skills
 Observational skills

5. Who Employs Biochemistry Graduates?
If a graduate want to get into the workforce right after
graduation, entry-level careers in many areas:
 Pharmaceutical Companies: Developing drugs and other
pharmaceutical products
 Hospital Laboratories: Analyzing samples from patients to
provide treatment advice
 University Laboratories: Researching anything from gene
therapy to disease treatments
 Cosmetic Companies: Creating safer and more effective
products
 Agribusiness Companies: Developing safer and more effective
agricultural products
 Food Product Development or Regulation Companies: Ensuring
the safety of food

6. In this presentation we’ll focus on Entry
Level & Entrepreneurial Careers
Opportunities

7. Secondary/High School Teacher
 If you are patient and passionate about sharing
knowledge then you can consider a
secondary/high school teaching career in
Sciences
High school teachers are typically employed by
the following organizations:
 • Private secondary schools
 • Public secondary schools
 • Vocational schools

8. Pharmaceutical Chemists or Chemical Analyst or
Clinical Chemist or Organic Chemist or
Pharmacologist
 A bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry opens the door to
entry-level careers in pharmaceutical chemistry, such as
laboratory assistant.
Who Employs Chemist?
• Drug Manufacturing Companies
• Environmental Pollution Control
• Public Health Laboratories
• Research Departments
• Industrial Laboratories
• Public Health Entities
• Cosmetic Industries
• Forensic Science
• Blood Service
• Hospitals

9. Lab Assistant or Research Assistant
 A bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry may help you gain
access to entry-level jobs in clinical chemistry and
medical science, such as lab assistant.
Organizations that hire Lab Assistants typically include:
• Hospital or clinical laboratories
• Private or public research facilities
• Manufacturing companies
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Commercial reference laboratories
• Government regulatory agencies
• Colleges and universities
• Non-profit organizations, such as research foundations for
specific diseases (such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis or
muscular dystrophy)

10. Medical writers or Medical Illustrator or Medical
Scientist or Science Writer or Technical Writer
 Medical writers are responsible for creating medical
documents that provide accurate details about medical
information and products for a variety of audiences for
a variety of purposes (submission to regulatory bodies,
articles for biomedical journals etc.)
These organizations hire medical writers:
• Pharmaceutical companies,
• Medical device and product companies,
• Clinical research organizations
• Medical doctors
• Continuing medical education companies
• Government agencies and private organizations
• Websites, newsletters, newspapers, magazines, medical
journals and

11. Pest Control Technician or Biological
Technologist or Chemical Technician or
Environmental Technician or Hazardous Waste
Technologist
 Pest control technicians are responsible for preventing
and controlling the spread of insects and other pests
that may infest homes, restaurants, warehouses, business
and other establishments.
The following types of organizations employ the pest
control technicians:
• Pest control companies
• Municipal, state/provincial and federal government
departments
• Manufacturing companies
• Schools and school boards
• Self-employment

12. DNA Analysts
 Responsible for preparing, analyzing tissue samples for
criminal evidence, and interpreting results following
strict protocol when handling and storing the samples,
and may be required to testify as expert witnesses on
their findings.
Who Employs DNA Analysts?
• Privately owned research laboratories
• Healthcare facilities such as hospitals
• Municipal, provincial/state and federal
crime labs
• Biotechnology companies
• Colleges and universities (as researchers)

13.  With a B.Sc in Biochemistry you could get entry-
Level jobs as a bio-analyst or bio-informatician.
 Responsible for breaking down, creating and
investigating biological compounds.
Bio-Analyst or Bio-informaticians
Who Employs Bio-Analysts?
 • Privately owned research laboratories
 • Healthcare facilities such as hospitals
 • Municipal, provincial/state and federal
crime labs
 • Biotechnology companies
 • Colleges and universities (as researchers)

14. Brewery Worker
 Brewery workers are responsible for the quality of the
beer they produce, in terms of both safety and taste.
 They must select or oversee the selection of the raw
materials, select recipes, taste and quality testing
of the beer.

15. Patent Agent
 You don’t necessarily need law degree to become a patent
agent.
 A patent agent makes sure the intellectual property
rights of an invention are upheld at all times.
 This means monitoring new patent applications to ensure
they do not infringe upon the design of an existing
patent, as well as calling out violations when
necessary.
Who Employs Patent Agents?
• Privately or public owned research
laboratories
• Biotechnology companies
• Universities

16. Food and Drug Inspector
 A bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry will qualify you
for an entry-level position in food and drug
inspection
 Although it may not be mandatory, many employers in
the field of food and drug safety prefer hiring
candidates who have work experience. Working an
internship, co-op or practicum position can be a great
way to gain in-field experience as a student.
Organizations that hire food and drug inspectors
include:
 • Regional, provincial/state and national government
departments
 • Non-governmental organizations interested in food
hygiene or food sanitation and drug safety
 • Lobbyist groups

17. Food Safety Auditor
 Food safety auditors are responsible for conducting
food safety audits of food manufacturing facilities,
such as commercial slaughterhouses and food processing
plants
 Ensure that work activities related to food production
are being conducted in a manner that is safe and
healthy
 Ensure they remain compliant with relevant federal and
industrial regulations.
Organizations that employ food safety auditors include:
• Regional, provincial/state and national government
departments
• Non-governmental organizations interested in food
hygiene or food sanitation and drug safety
• Certified food auditing organizations

18. Forensic Chemist or Lab Analyst
 Forensic chemist & laboratory analysts are responsible
for analyzing, identifying, classifying and
interpreting physical evidence that has been submitted
by law enforcement and related agencies.
 Forensic chemist also present findings in court, and
defend them against scrutiny.
Organizations that employ them include:
 • Municipal, provincial/state and federal crime labs
 • Morgues
 • Medical examiner/coroner offices
 • Private research laboratories
 • Forensic services laboratories

19. Laboratory Manager or Coordinator
 To become a laboratory manager (also known as a lab
coordinator) you need a combination of having an
interest in research, the ability to lead others
These employers typically include:
• Government research facilities
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Private research firms
• Universities and colleges

20. Medical Laboratory Technologist
 With a Biochemistry degree you can get an entry-level job
as a medical laboratory technologist responsibly for
conducting testing to help identify, treat and cure
cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other health
conditions
 Depending on the country/state/province or the employer,
you may need to be licensed to work as a medical
laboratory technologist. You can take licensing courses
and examinations
Who Hires Medical Laboratory Technologists?
• Hospitals and clinics
• Federal government (public health laboratories)
• Pharmaceutical or chemical industries
• Biotechnology companies
• Veterinary clinics
• Public or private research laboratories
• Colleges and universities
• Transplant and blood donor centers
• Fertility clinics

21. Petroleum Chemists
 A bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry can opens the door
to entry-level careers in petroleum chemistry, such as
laboratory assistant helping to develop and improve oil
based products, including fuel and polymers.
Organizations that hire petroleum chemists
typically include:
 • Petroleum and petrochemical companies
 • Companies that develop processes for the oil industry,
such as fluid-cracking catalysis
 • Companies that supply chemicals for petroleum companies
 • Research, development and quality control laboratories
 • Provincial/state and federal government organizations
 • Environmental organizations
 • Colleges and universities

22. Quality Control Specialist or Food and Drug
Inspector or Food Safety Auditor or Public Health
Inspector or Safety Coordinator or Water Quality
Analyst
 Quality control specialist measures whether or not a
current product meets a set of quality standards in a
variety of industries; including foods, textiles,
clothing, glassware, motor vehicles, electronic
components, computers, and structural steel.
Who Hires Quality Control Specialists?
• Federal, provincial/state and municipal government departments
• Manufacturing companies (including automotive, mechanical,
electronics, etc.)
• Food production and distribution companies
• Oil, gas and mining companies
• Construction companies
• Energy and utility companies
• Pharmaceutical companies

23. Regulatory Affairs Specialist or Auditor or
Compliance Officer
 A B.Sc in Biochemistry will qualify you for many entry-
level jobs in regulatory affairs to acts as a link between
your employer, its products, and regulatory agencies
(safety, efficacy and licensing).
Regulatory affairs specialists are typically employed by the
following types of organizations:
 • Biotech and pharmaceutical companies
 • Companies that manufacture medical devices and
diagnostic equipment
 • Cosmetics companies
 • Companies that produce nutritional products
 • Contract research agencies
 • Regulatory, legal, marketing and scientific consulting
firms

24. Research Assistants or Clinical Research Associate
or Government Researcher
 Research assistants are hired by principal researchers to
assist with conducting research projects by performing
various duties related to a study.
Organizations that hire Research Assistants
include:
 • Universities and colleges
 • Contract research organizations
 • Privately funded research laboratories
 • Municipal, provincial/state and federal government departments
 • Private industry, such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology and other
companies
 • Marketing companies
 • Management, scientific and technical consulting organizations
 • Non-profit organizations, such as social advocacy organizations

25. Sales Representative or Fitness Trainer or
Equipment Technicians
 Most organizations that sell technical and scientific
products and services typically prefer candidates who have
a bachelor’s degree in a field related to the product or
service they are selling.
Many organizations, across many industries are interested in utilizing the
skills, knowledge and competencies of sales representatives to help increase
their revenue. These organizations include:
 • Food and beverage producers
 • Entertainment industry organizations, such as record companies and
video game producers
 • Manufacturing companies
 • Hotels and resorts
 • Energy producers
 • Athletic and fitness facilities
 • Business services firms

26. Blogger
 Science Bloggers compose engaging and informative articles
related to specific and consistent subject matter for
publication on a website or dedicated blog.
 They may be employed by an organization, work as a
freelancer (contracting their writing, proofreading and
editing services out to clients), or be self-employed.
 The amount that bloggers earn can vary greatly; some earn
an inconsistent and fluctuating income, while others earn
a more stable and reliable income. It largely depends on
what kind of employment structure they have.

27. Entrepreneur
 Graduates could translate inventions or technologies into
products and services and become entrepreneurs.
 Entrepreneurial ventures could include:
• Research Companies and Laboratories
• Chemical manufacturing companies
• Medical Instrument companies
• Food and Drink industries
• Health and Beauty Care
• Biotechnology
• Drug Manufacturing Companies
• Environmental Pollution Control
• Medical Laboratories
• Research institutes
• Agriculture and fisheries company
• Industrial Laboratories
• Educational
Institutes
• Public Health
Entities
• Cosmetic
Industries
• Forensic Science
Lab
• Blood Service
• Hospitals/Clinic
Etc….

28. Watch Out for Part
II
Please Like, Share, &
Subscribe