A Biochemist, or Biochemistry Scientist, is responsible for using their knowledge of biochemistry to experiment with chemicals and their effects on living organisms to create medicines and other beneficial elements. Their duties include analyzing cells from animals, plants or humans, using laboratory equipment to study chemical reactions and composing reports to publish their findings.
A Biochemist should be able to fulfill various duties and responsibilities. The following are some duties and responsibilities a Biochemist should be able to execute:
- Managing laboratory teams, consisting of other scientists, Lab Assistants and often graduate students
- Planning and conducting complex scientific research projects
- Writing grant applications to acquire research funding from the government, corporations and foundations
- Using sound judgment and reasoning in drawing conclusions from the results of their experiments
- Attending conferences and reviewing research of their peers to stay current on the latest developments in their field
- Isolating, analyzing and synthesizing proteins, fats, DNA and other molecules in an ongoing quest to better understand their role living organisms
- Conducting experiments and analyzing the results with accuracy and precision
A competitive Biochemist will have certain skills and qualifications, including:
- Analytical skills for conducting scientific experiments and analyzing them with precision and accuracy
- Communication skills for writing and publishing research papers and reports, giving presentations and communicating with team members
- Critical-thinking skills for drawing conclusions from experimental results through sound judgment and reasoning
- Interpersonal skills for working well with others on a team towards a common goal
- Math skills for using complex formulas and equations in their work
- Perseverance to be thorough in their approach to problems and in their research
- Problem-solving skills when using analysis and scientific experiments to identify solutions to complex scientific problems
- Time-management skills for meeting deadlines when conducting research and prioritizing tasks
