Job Opportunities biotechnology

Biotechnology is a knowledge based industry requiring manpower that has the right combination of understanding of technology as well as managerial expertise to harvest technology into profit making ventures. It is emerging as one of the fastest growing employment sectors in India today, promising a plethora of job opportunities under its umbrella. Demand for biotechnologists is growing in India and abroad, particularly the US.

According to KiranMajumdarShaw, Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon Industry, "The fledging biotechnology industry in India has crossed the $1 billion mark and is moving towards the targeted $5 billion by 2010 and this industry which is growing at pace is facing shortage of skilled manpower .n The sector employed 4200 graduates and postgraduates, 1700 B.Tech/MBAs, 1900 M.Tech. and M.Phils, 400 Ph.Ds, 700 others during 2003-04 (Source: Biospectrum-ABLE Survey).

A career in Biotechnology is both challenging and rewarding. Challenging, because it is comparatively a new field and involves a lot of experimentation, research, hard work, and creative approach. Those expecting quick results from the experiments and research done by them, may have to face disappointment, in case their efforts take longer time or may not prove successful.


Some of the jobs are that of Technicians, Research and Development Specialists, Scientists, Production Managers, Quality Control Managers, Marketing and Sales Personnels, Logistics etc.

To be a technician in an industry or a research institute, you should be a B.Sc in Biotechnology. Similarly, if you have completed your M.5c in Biotechnology, you may go for a research assistant both in industry as well as in R&D (Research and Development) institutes. Both public and private sector offer ample job opportunities in this field. If you are looking for a job in public sector, the opportunities available are in administration and policy making, research and development and technical cadre

A person with aptitude for research can go for research and development institutes established by different ministries. If one is not interested in hard core research, but still wants to be associated with research can go for supporting staff (technical assistant) after B.Sc. in biotechnology.

The job profile of a technician is to maintain small equipments, weigh raw materials, maintain records and clean production areas etc. For a manufacturing technician, profile consists of manufacturing and packaging of potential and existing products and if you are instrumentation technician, you need to maintain instruments/ equipments

Product Development Officer is responsible for design, development of a given product. Documentation Officer handles all activities relates to provide required document. He also needs to review and revise procedures, specifications and forms.

As a Bioinformatics specialist, your prime field of work would include designing, developing, evaluating and modifying computer for solving a protein structure and design programmes to resolve 3­dimensional structures of molecules, analyse existing systems and formulate logic for new systems.

Market Research Analyst is entrusted the job to research and analyse company's markets, competition and product mix. As a sales rep, you are responsible for providing product information and demonstration on as and when required. As the name suggests, the job of a HP Manager is to handle the activities related to employment, coordinate training programmes, counselling, etc.

After doing Ph.D you can also be appointed as a Research Associate, Pool Officer, Research Scientist etc. in various Government funded organisations like Centre for Scientific & Industrial Research, Department of Science & Technology, Department of Biotechnology, etc. programmes which support such programmes, before you get settled in a position of your choice. Duration of these jobs is normally from two to three years. You are paid emoluments ranging from Rs.8000 p.m. to Rs.10,500 p.m. plus House Rent Allowance, as per rules.

Depending upon your qualifications, research aptitude and experience. lucrative pay package is offered in India and abroad. Some of the Biotech and related companies in India are mentioned in Appendix III.