Also called: Strain Engineering Associate, Molecular Cloning Associate
Lab scientist who builds and tests engineered DNA and cells for synthetic biology companies.
Clones DNA pieces into plasmids, transforms bacteria, runs PCR checks, and grows test cultures that show which designs produce the most product.
Estimate.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in biology, biochemistry, or bioengineering.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Molecular Biology, Bioengineering.
Growing faster than average. Growing.
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Cloud labs and liquid-handling robots take over routine cloning and PCR; fewer bench associates, more who run and check robots.
Classes: Biology, Chemistry, AP Biology lab, Statistics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4021.
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.