Biochemist

WHAT IS A BIOCHEMIST?
A biochemist is someone who uses progressive pieces of machinery to conduct scientific experiments and analysis, and computer modelling to determine the structure of proteins and other molecules. Some biochemists even use chemical enzymes to combine or synthesize recombinant DNA.

PERKS
-Most biochemists work with a team.
-Many research projects that biochemists carry out involve multiple academic fields, so biochemists get to collaborate with experts from many areas like physics, chemistry, engineering and computer science.
-A biochemist working for a smaller company may end up working two roles, usually in research and sales, and in that case they get to travel around the world quite frequently!

DRAWBACKS
-Many biochemists do work with dangerous organisms and toxic substances, so they have to take certain safety precautions to avoid contamination.
-If you were a biochemist, you'd probably be stuck in a laboratory or office for the majority of your day.
-A biochemist working for a smaller company may have to work as a researcher and sales representative, which would take up a lot of their time.

SALARY
The average salary for biochemists in British Columbia is around $63,000/year, and the average annual salary throughout Canada is about $75,000/year.

job prospects

• Good employment outlook in BC, PEI, and Quebec.
• Fair employment outlook in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Saskatchewon.

EMPLOYMENT GROWTH IN CANADA

SKILLS
-Analytical skills: administer all experiments with accuracy
-Communication skills: draft reports and papers and lead presentations.
-Critical thinking skills: speculate on results of scientific experiments.
-Interpersonal skills: spur team members and work well with others toward a common objective.
-Math skills - employ complex math equations and comprehend calculus and statistics.
-Perseverance - be profound in approach to problems and avoid becoming disheartened.
-Problem solving skills - employ scientific experiments and analysis to find answers to complicated scientific problems.

EDUCATION REQUIRED
You need a university level education to become a biochemist. More specifically, the requirements for most companies hiring biochemists usually include a bachelor degree in chemistry or biochemistry, a masters degree, and in Quebec, a license from a provincial association of chemists is necessary, while it is optional in BC, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia.

TYPE OF PERSON THIS JOB WOULD APPEAL TO
Being a biochemist would appeal to someone who is interested in the sciences and curious about how life works. Biochemistry appeals to those who want to collaborate with others to learn more about the biology of cells and molecules.

AM I A MATCH?

• I have a 77% match score with the occupation biochemistry.
• My interest type (artistic and social) and top subject area (science) are good matches with the occupation.
• My top motivation factor (relationships) is not a match with this occupation.
• Around 80% of the activities a biochemist carries out appeals to me.

COMPATIBILITY SURVEY RESULTS PART ONE
Would I like to...
-Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research: Just a bit.
-Prepare reports or recommendations based upon research outcomes: Somewhat.
-Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences: Definitely.
-Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy by applying mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology: Definitely.
-Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes: Just a bit.
-Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work: Not really.

COMPATIBILITY SURVEY RESULTS PART TWO
Would I like to...
-Design or build laboratory equipment needed for special research projects: Maybe not.
-Study the chemistry of living processes, such as cell development: Somewhat.
-Design or perform experiments with equipment such as lasers, accelerators or mass spectrometers: Definitely.
-Isolate, analyze or synthesize vitamins, hormones, allergens, minerals or enzymes and determine their effects on body functions: Somewhat.

WHY I CHOSE THIS JOB
I have always been interested by topics in the field of biochemistry, and making it the subject of this presentation has helped me learn more about what it is, whether I want to work in this area and how I could set myself up for a career as a biochemist.

Thank you!