Also called: Bioprospector
Hunts for medicines hidden in plants, fungi, sea sponges, and soil bacteria.
Grinds up a sea sponge collected on a dive trip and separates its chemicals one by one. Tests each fraction to see if it kills cancer cells or bacteria.
Estimate; many in academia.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 10 years after high school. PhD in chemistry, pharmacognosy, or marine biology.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Chemistry, Pharmacognosy, Marine Biology.
Growing faster than average (about 5% over 10 years). Estimate.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI predicts promising compounds from genomes; field collecting, extraction and testing stay hands-on discovery work.
Classes: AP Chemistry, AP Biology, Environmental science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2031.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.