Also called: Biorepository Curator (Microbes), Culture Collection Scientist
Keeps thousands of living strains of bacteria, fungi and viruses frozen or freeze-dried so scientists can order exact, trusted samples.
Revives a 40-year-old freeze-dried bacterium from the collection, checks that it grows and is still the right species with DNA tests, and makes fresh stock vials. You approve shipping paperwork for a dangerous strain, update the online catalog and answer a scientist asking which strain fits her experiment.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Master's degree, about 6 years after high school. Bachelor's or master's in microbiology; senior curators often have a PhD.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $60k – $150k.
Majors to look at: Microbiology, Biology.
Growing about average. Steady at a few big collections and government labs.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI helps manage catalogs, but reviving, checking and preserving living strains stays hands-on.
Classes: Biology, Chemistry, Statistics.
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.