Occupation Profile

Biological Technicians

(SOC Code : 19-4021)

in California

Assist biological and medical scientists in laboratories. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Associate degree .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$23.40	$16.34	$21.45	$28.96

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	11,400	13,300	1,900	16.7	570

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Scientific Research and Development Svc

5,742

45.0%

Colleges and Universities

1,979

19.3%

Architectural and Engineering Services

23,211

4.1%

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals

1,393

2.1%

Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories

3,335

1.6%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Conduct research or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.

Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.

Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.

Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties.

Clean, maintain and prepare supplies and work areas.

Set up, adjust, calibrate, clean, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory and field equipment.

Measure or weigh compounds and solutions for use in testing or animal feed.

Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination.

Conduct standardized biological, microbiological or biochemical tests and laboratory analyses to evaluate the quantity or quality of physical or chemical substances in food or other products.

Examine animals and specimens to detect the presence of disease or other problems.

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Top Skills used in this Job

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

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Data for Tasks not available.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

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Alternate Titles

Biological Science Laboratory Technicians; Environmental Technicians; Resource Biologists; Wildlife Biology Technicians