All You Need to Know About a Career in Microbiology

In today’s world, bacteria and viruses are threatening human existence itself and most of us are still wondering how these microscopic organisms could possibly do that. Well, most of us just wonder and move on. But are you one of those who actually wish to explore the various microorganisms there are like bacteria, fungi, algae, etc, and know-how they actually impact the environment? Then you would be happy to hear that now you could actually make a career out of it! Yes, you heard it right! You could actually make a career in Microbiology and here is all that you need to know about it. 

What is Microbiology?

Microbiology is that branch of Science which deals with the study of microscopic living organisms. If you are asking why to have a specific field dedicated just for the study of the microorganisms then just look around you and you will find an answer. Every year we hear of some virus that is taking human lives. Nowadays you have the Corona, 2015 it was Ebola and there are going to be many such viruses in the future. And in such a world they play a key role in understanding these viruses so that they could protect our community against such future outbreaks. Isn’t that interesting?

Also, it’s Microbiologists who make us understand the differences between harmful and useful bacteria. Now some microorganisms could kill but there are others that facilitate the digestion of food and protect us from pathogens. And if it weren’t for the microbiologists how will you know the difference? That’s exactly why a career in Microbiology has become one of the most sought-after options in recent times. 

Also Read: BSc Microbiology Syllabus

Careers in Microbiology in India 2023

Microbiology is a vast field that offers various diverse career opportunities to its students. When you enter the professional world after acquiring a degree in Microbiology a number of opportunities would be lined up for you. To give you a gist of it here is a list of careers options available in the field of Microbiology:

Microbiologist

A Microbiologist mainly peruses upon microscopic forms, microorganisms, and their life processes. As one of the sought-after career paths in Microbiology, this career path is a high-paying research job in which you will be working on the biology of microorganisms that exist at both the molecular and cellular levels. Your work will be required in agriculture, biotechnology, the environment, education, pharmaceuticals, and hospitals.

Immunologist

An immunologist specializes in curing allergies and other immune system disorders. So, basically, an immunologist deals with the treatment of all those diseases which impact your immunity system. They study how the immune system works and try to find out ways to protect your immune system against harmful bacterias. For this purpose, they study the impact that various micro substances have on the human body and try to find a cure for it. 

Mycologist

Mycology involves the study of different kinds of fungi in order to understand the positive and negative impact that they could have on the human body. Now, some fungi are really toxic and infections whereas others would be used to make traditional machines. It’s in making this demarcation that mycologists dedicate their time. 

Professor/Lecturer

Isn’t teaching the most obvious career option? Simply because it’s your professors who taught you all that you know about Microbiology today. As you already know their role involves teaching students various subjects relating to Microbiology depending on their specializations. If you were impressed by the way your teachers taught you and wanted to do something similar or even if you wished to change the way they taught. This might be the right career option for you. 

Check Out: How to Become an Academician?

Water Quality Laboratory Technician

We all know that impure water could be really harmful to one’s body. So, these professionals work in water treatment plants and laboratories figuring out if the water which is being distributed to the masses is fit for drinking or not. If not, they come up with scientific methods by which to purify that water and prevent the spreading of water-borne diseases. 

Clinical Research Scientist

The work of a clinical research associate is to operate clinical trials to examine the nature, pros, and cons of drugs. A CRA ensures that whether certain drugs are allowed to exist in the market or not. A contract research organization or pharmaceutical company can hire you to test popular and pre-existing drugs. They will involve you in all levels of the ongoing tests. You will be required to monitor the impacts and precautions of drugs by checking them on a healthy person, a patient, or even on an animal.

To know more, explore Clinical Research Courses!

Food Technologist/Scientist

As the name suggests, food technologists ensure that whether products produced in the market are up to the quality expectations or not. You will need to take a look into the manufacturing processes so that you can check what’s wrong with the recipes. And yes, you can provide your own discovered ingredients to add some more nutritional value to the food. So basically, you will have the power to play with the nutritional values of a particular food.

Check Out: Food Technology Courses

Medical Technologist

A medical technologist is a health professional who tests various bodily fluids of the patients in order to find problems and their corresponding treatments. They have the responsibility of conducting laboratory tests and experiments to diagnose the patient’s medical condition. They also have the responsibility of maintaining and operating all the lab equipment. 

Cosmetic Scientist

A cosmetic scientist is not only involved in the creation of skincare and haircare products but also scientifically testing if they have any harmful side effects on its users. Have you ever wondered who makes those shampoos and perfumes that you all love a lot? Yes, it’s the cosmetic scientists who develop all those products for you. And if you are interested in making such products then this might be the right career option for you. 

Must Read: Career in Cosmetology

Health Scientist

When it comes to a career in microbiology, his field can make you a lifesaver. A wide range of patients is suffering from immune system disorders such as:

• Antibody Deficiency

• Autoimmune Disorders (Where body security system attack on its structure)

• Allergy

• Primary Immunodeficiency (Where a part of the immune system stop functioning)

Pharmacologist

A Pharmacologist understands how medicines and other types of drugs affect human beings and animals. They conduct researches to aid the development and discovery of new helpful drugs. Just like a Clinical Research Associate, they also have a right to do research based on animal tissues. They test on animals first so that humans won’t get hurt in the trial process.

How to Become a Microbiologist in India?

In order to become a Microbiologist in India, you need to have certain academic qualifications as well as research credentials. Since it is a research field, a master’s degree in Microbiology or any of its specializations is the minimum qualification you need. Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can become a microbiologist in India:

• Pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Microbiology: To begin your career as a Microbiologist, you can study a BSc degree in this field or any of the branches of Microbiology.
• Explore Entry-level Research Internships: While studying your undergraduate degree, you must explore internships in microbiology research as it can help you earn the right skills and exposure to thrive in this field.
• Opt for a Master’s in Microbiology: You will have to study a postgraduate degree in Microbiology or its specialised fields to pursue the career path of a Microbiologist. So, once you graduate, find the right specialisation that interests you and go for a postgraduate degree.
• Study PhD/Pursue Research Careers: Once you have completed your master’s degree, the next step is to explore entry-level research profiles in Microbiology along with gearing up to study PhD which is also considered as an essential academic qualification you need to become a Microbiologist.

Top Universities Abroad to Study Microbiology

Here is a list of top universities with QS rankings 2023 across the world from where you could build the foundation for your career in Microbiology:

University	QS Rankings 2023
Harvard University	5
Imperial College London	6
University of Tokyo	23
University of California -Berkeley	27
Yale University	18
University of Cambridge	2
The University of Queensland	50
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	1
University of Hong Kong	21
Erasmus University Rotterdam	208
University of Copenhagen	82
Seoul National University	29

Top Colleges of Microbiology in India

Here’s is the glimpses of the top most colleges of Microbiology with their respective average first-year fees: 

College	Average Fees ( in INR)
Madras Christian College, Chennai	24,000
Presidency College, Chennai	1,270
Chandigarh University	1,10,000
Fergusson College, Pune	11,135
St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata	60,500
St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai	7,187
PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore	7,000
Mount Carmel College, Banglore	42,000
Gargi College, New Delhi	14,045
St. Joseph’s College, Banglore	1,28,250

Eligibility Criteria

You can easily get yourself enrolled into any Microbiology related course if you fulfill the following eligibility criteria.

• Have qualified 12th with PCM subjects
• Must have scored at least 50% or above
• For getting admission into a postgraduate course in Microbiology a bachelor’s degree is necessary
• Must clear the individual entrance exams required for different colleges

Salary in Microbiology

Remember? We told you that each field has a different potential. Glance through the chart for the average salary of the major Microbiology jobs in 2023

	Career in Microbiology	Average Salary per annum
	Immunologist	15,50,000 INR
	Mycologist	4,33,536 INR
	Pharmacologist	8,00,000 INR
	Microbiologist	3,12,740 INR
	Biomedical scientist	5,81,325 INR
	Professor	4,30,797 INR
	Water quality laboratory technician	1,83,126 INR
	Food technologist/Scientist	7,50,000 INR
	Cosmetic Scientists	4,70,400 INR
	Clinical Research Associate	3,44,254 INR
	Sales or technical representative	4,30,000 INR
	Research assistant	3,73,000 INR
	Clinical and veterinary Microbiologist	6,75,078 INR
	Quality assurance technologists	5, 54,000 INR

Here is an overview of the average salary in Microbiology abroad:

Career Path	Salary Per Annum ($)
Microbiologist	$71,650 (53,70,704 INR)
Clinical Research Associate	$63,969 (47,94,956 INR)
Food Technologist	$55,290 (41,44,400 INR)
Healthcare Scientist Salary	$126,745 (95,00,488 INR)
Pharmacologist	$117,922 (88,39,138 INR)

Top Recruiting Companies for Microbiologists

Here are some of the top recruiting agencies for microbiologists in India

• Lakshmi Life Sciences Ltd.

• The Indian Hotels Company Ltd.

• Krauter Healthcare Ltd.

• Alpha-Pharma Healthcare India Pvt. Ltd.

Government Sector Jobs in Microbiology

The common areas of employment of the graduates in the Government sector include: 

• Development Laboratories

• Hospitals

• Pharmaceutical Sector

• Food Industry

• Beverage Units

• Chemical Industries

Must Read: Scope of Bioinformatics

Pros and Cons in Career in Microbiology

Pros	Cons
Varied Specialisations in the field of biology are a boon to people associated with it.	The highly competitive job market
Flexible working conditions	Possible exposure to hazardous materials

Must Read: Scope of Microbiology

FAQs

So, this was all that you need to know about pursuing a career in Microbiology. In case you have any doubts or queries our Leverage Edu experts are always there to help you out.