Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Careers and Graduate Study

Recent alumni careers

As a molecular biologist, you can expect to to find a lot of job opportunities and be well-paid for them (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). If you complete a doctoral degree, even more so. Your skill sets as a molecular biologist are needed—the ability to apply basic research to develop biological products and processes that improve people’s lives. A bachelor’s degrees in this field will get you a job as a technologist in research or in a clinical laboratory.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) reports that employment of medical laboratory technologists is projected to grow 11% by 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median starting salary in the biological sciences was $61,000 in 2018.

• Laboratory technician, Kraft Heinz Company, Aledo, Illinois

• Research Intern, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

• Laboratory research assistant, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston Texas 

• Medical scribe, Denver Colorado

• Production scientist, Integrated DNA Technologies, Coralville, Iowa

• Peace Corps, Republic of Paraguay

• Camp and family director, Town North YMCA, Dallas, Texas

• Professional research assistant, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado

• Laboratory research technician, University of Iowa Carver School of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa 

• Laboratory senior technician, Roquette America Inc., Mount Pleasant, Iowa

• Production chemist, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, California

• Pathology aide, Poudre Valley Health Center, Fort Collins, Colorado

• Program specialist, University of Texas Medical Branch, Memphis, Tennessee

• Doctor of Osteopathy, University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine, Appleton, Wisconsin

Recent graduate schools attended

• M.A., marine biology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii

• M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, Texas

• M.D., Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Ph.D., molecular biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

• Ph.D., chemistry, Columbia University, New York City, New York

• M.A., biology, University of Eastern Illinois, Charleston, Illinois

• Ph.D., neuroscience, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

• Ph.D., biochemistry and molecular biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

• Ph.D., Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• M.D., University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri

• Master of Forensic Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

• M.D., Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Miami, Florida

• Doctor of Osteopathy, Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Des Moines, Iowa 

• Ph.D., neuroscience, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama