The people and skills that keep science running: lab managers, animal care, instrument experts, glassblowers, and grant managers.
Top pay: highest pay, longest training
Core Facility Director: Runs a center of expensive shared equipment—like electron microscopes or sequencers—used by hundreds of scientists. Typical pay $115k.
Laboratory Animal Veterinarian: A vet who cares for animals used in research and ensures they're treated humanely. Typical pay $150k.
Animal Research Facility Director: Runs a facility housing thousands of research animals and the staff who care for them. Typical pay $120k.
Mid pay: solid pay, degree or apprenticeship
Research Lab Manager: Keeps a research lab running—ordering supplies, managing budgets, training people, and keeping it safe. Typical pay $70k.
Flow Cytometry Specialist: Runs lasers-and-fluid machines that analyze millions of individual cells per minute. Typical pay $78k.
Microscopy Specialist: Operates advanced microscopes and helps scientists capture images of cells and tissues. Typical pay $75k.
Histotechnologist: Slices tissue thinner than a hair and stains it so doctors and scientists can study it under a microscope. Typical pay $62k.
Scientific Glassblower: Hand-crafts custom glass equipment for chemistry and biology labs. Typical pay $58k.
NMR Facility Manager: Runs the giant magnet instruments scientists use to figure out molecular structures. Typical pay $95k.
Research Compliance Officer: Makes sure university and company research follows laws and ethical rules. Typical pay $90k.
Used Lab Equipment Specialist: Buys, tests, repairs and resells used lab instruments like centrifuges, microscopes and freezers when labs close or upgrade. Typical pay $60k.
Starter: fastest way in
Laboratory Animal Technologist: Provides skilled care for research animals and assists with procedures. Typical pay $52k.
Research Animal Behavior Trainer: Uses positive reinforcement to train research animals to cooperate with care and procedures calmly. Typical pay $45k.
Laboratory Relocation Specialist: Moves entire science labs, including delicate instruments, freezers of samples, and chemicals. Typical pay $45k.
Laboratory Specimen Courier: Picks up and delivers patient samples, research specimens, and biological materials on tight schedules. Typical pay $40k.
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.