How to Become a Biotechnologist: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Jobs, Scope, Salary

What does a Biotechnologist do?

A Biotechnologist works for the development of new chemical products that can be utilized by various companies and individuals. They are also responsible for researching cells, proteins, viruses or other biology substances to determine about inhibitors. 

Some of the other duties a Biotechnologist can do are given below:

• They consult with various chemists or biologists to produce or evaluate novel technologies
• They direct experimental or developmental activities at laboratories on a contracted basis.
• they mainly review existing biomanufacturing cycles to guarantee compliance with environmental regulations
• they go through the current scientific or trade literature to stay updated of scientific, industrial, or technological advances
• Prepare specialized reports, data records, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications.
• Collaborate for the development or delivery of biochemical manufacturing training materials.

Steps to Become a Biotechnologist

Those aspiring students who want to become a Biotechnologist, here we will discuss the steps you should follow to start your career as a Biotechnologist.

Step 1: Before starting your decision to be a Biotechnologist, you should have to know about their benefits, what certification or training they have to pursue in order to be successful in this field. If one is firm on becoming a Biotechnologist then search for the details regarding the profession.

Step 2: One must have to make sure that what are their interests, about subject combinations they need to take in higher secondary education, and what courses are required in order to be a Biotechnologist.

Step 3: There is a set of subjects that you should choose to become a Biotechnologist. A person from a Science background and any field chooses to become a Biotechnologist. In 10+2 you have chemistry,biology as a subject whereas in undergraduation you can pursue B.Tech in Biotechnologisting. 

Step 4: You need to be very sure that you have a strong interest and basic command over your academics, only then you can do higher studies in safety related courses. These subject syllabus are indegenious, but the candidates from other streams can also study them in their leisure time if they aspire to be a Biotechnologist. Candidates can go for a B.SC or B.Tech course in their graduation level, but the companies usually prefer to hire those who have an engineering degree along with some experience.

Step 5: Preparing for the entrance test is one of the important steps that need to be successfully accomplished in the journey to be a Biotechnologist. There are several entrance tests for these courses: MHT-CET, VITEEE, BITSAT etc which are conducted once in a year for this program. 

Step 6: Selecting a recognised institute is an important step as there are numerous universities that offer similar courses, however choosing a good college requires more than just courses. A decent college is one which has a decent placement record, graduated class organization, great normal resources just as visiting resources, framework, Facilities at campus, and so on.

Step 7: Recruiters looking for those who may have around 1-2 years of related work experience. Likewise, an individual looking for certification needs to have around 1-2 years of industry experience as an officer or related. Generally, having more work experience is useful to an aspiring Biotechnologist.

Types Of Biotechnologist

There are many jobs that a Biotechnologist does and can choose a career in the same professions some of which are Enzyme Engineer, Biochemist, Metabolic Engineer, Tissue Engineer etc. The accompanying types would enable the students to narrow down their choices, and hence, allow them to pick a particular job role.

Tissue Engineer 

Tissue engineers work with manufactured and natural tissues to reproduce tissues required by medical patients. Their work is to collect useful builds that restore, maintain, or improve damaged tissues or whole organs.They use tissue scaffolds to improve new viable tissue for medical use.

Metabolic Engineer 

Their work is to utilise the technology which is involved in genetic engineering to improve the metabolic activity of biological organisms or to modify the metabolism of an organism. This technology is mainly used in bacteria, yeast or plants to increase the production of specific metabolites. 

Biochemist 

They work as a scientist who works with particles and mixtures, frequently at a cell level. They study the way that cells across an assortment of biological compounds interact, utilizing this data in relationship with objectives like making more compelling prescriptions, diagnosing infections and producing healthier food. They might work for a wide number of areas like pharmaceutical organizations, research medical clinics, colleges and food-delivering organizations.

Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical engineering addresses new areas of medical research and product development. They help pave the way for new ways to better approaches to assist with treating wounds and diseases.They often work to improve and develop new machinery, such as robotic surgery equipment and others endeavor to create better, more reliable replacement limbs.

How to Become Biotechnologist in India

The career as a Biotechnologist provides the students a decent career option in India. Students must hold a valid certificate course degree that is recognised in order to become a Biotechnologist in India. However, to become a Biotechnologist the students must have good command in physics, biology, chemistry and mathematics subjects. The following are the various steps that will help in providing answers to how to prepare for this career at school level.

School Level Preparation 

• At school level, students have to start their preparation although there is no hard and fast rule required for the eligibility of Biotechnologist.
• However, candidates from science stream can get prefery for this course. One can, however, look into improving their biochemistry or physiology knowledge.
• The students can start to prepare about the different subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology etc.
• Some of the training colleges prefer students who have a B.Tech or BSc degree in Biochemistry
• Understanding chemical and biological principles is crucial for a potential Biotechnologist.
• You must hold commands in chapters such as Cells, Tissue, Metabolism, Chemistry in Everyday life, Amines, Compounds which will help you in your career.
• For admission in a B.Tech Biochemical program you must have at least 45%-50% in your 12th.
• Thus the students have to start preparing for the entrance tests.

How to become a Biotechnologist After 12th?

After finishing your school preparation, career options for science candidates to take admission in Biotechnologisting course that would help them in the related discipline. Full-time degree courses will be instructed over 2 to 4 years. Discussed below is how to prepare for the programs.

Undergraduate Preparation

• At the UG level, candidates aspiring to become a Biotechnologist should first focus on clearing the entrance exams and getting admitted in a bachelor’s degree course. 
• It can be either a Diploma or Bachelor. The students can also enroll in the alternative courses such as a B.Tech or BSc etc 
• Students along with their studies should start focusing on developing medical or physiology skills
• For the preparation of the entrance test the student must go through the every important topics of the syllabus and start working on each portion of the important topics.
• Apply for and qualify in any relevant entrance test for admission to the safety management course. Choose B.Tech in Biotechnologisting or equivalent specialisation.
• After enrolling in the program the students must take care of the facts that must maintain at least 60% CGPA in their graduate level so that they are able to get offers from top institutes after completing the degree.
• After completing the bachelor's degree, apply for any internship opportunities in some research laboratories or organization.

Post Graduation Preparation

• Although most of the professional engineers have only a bachelor's degree,after earning a Masters degree in biochemical programs also allows graduates to get a Senior Position in Organization with a salary hike.
• The candidates can pursue M.Tech Biotechnologisting courses as alternatives
• The eligibility criteria for M.Tech Biotechnologisting is at least 50% minimum aggregate in Bachelor from a recognized institute by UGC.
• They also have to qualify GATE or any equivalent entrance tests for admission.
• Getting enrolled into a good university in master will benefit you a lot as they tie up with various corporate organizations and conduct internships, assignments through which graduates can achieve real-time experience
• It also allows you to perform advance research and teach at an institute or university
• After getting admission into the course, students can also look for some entry level positions in companies.

Courses To Become A Biotechnologist

There are various types of courses available which an individual can pursue in order to be a Biotechnologist. Given below are the list of relevant courses for the same:

BSc Biochemistry 

Bachelor in Science of Biochemistry is a full time 3 year undergraduate program in chemical and physicochemical process. In this course students will study about the chemistry which is applied to study the living organisms and it's atoms and molecules which comprise living organisms.The total course fees of the programs is around INR 36,000 to INR 1.6 Lakhs. After completing this course students will have the option to get a job in the medical industry, research labs, agriculture, pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions etc with a salary of INR 1-4 LPA.

BSc Biochemistry: Admission Process

Admissions in BSc Biochemistry courses are done through both merit and entrance exams.Candidates who are interested in getting admission in BSc Biochemistry colleges can apply by both offline and online method. Some of the colleges offer admissions on the basis of your last qualifying examination.

BSc Biochemistry: Eligibility Criteria

• Students must pass their 10+2 level examination with at least 45% to 50% of marks, from a recognized board.
• They must clear the relevant entrance examination and obtain a score above the college cut-off marks
• They must have Physics, Chemistry , Biology or Mathematics in their 10+2.

BE Biomedical Engineering

Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical program is an undergraduate course which deals with the application of engineering principles and design concepts to medicine and biology for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Karnataka are some of the top colleges offering this course. The total cost of pursuing this course is around INR 40,000-5 Lakhs. Students after completing this course can start their career as a Biotechnologist with a decent salary package.

BE Biomedical Engineering: Admission Process

Admissions in BE Biomedical Engineering courses are done through both entrance exams and legitimacy basis.Candidates who are interested in getting admission in BE Biomedical Engineering colleges can apply for the exam in an online method. They have to appear in an entrance test to get enrolled into the college. Some of the colleges also offer admissions on the basis of your last qualifying examination.

BE Biomedical Engineering: Eligibility Criteria

• Students must pass their 10+2 level examination with at least 50% to 60% of marks in science subjects from a recognized board.
• They must clear the relevant entrance examination and obtain a score above the college cut-off marks

BTech Biotechnology

Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology is a 4 year undergraduate course divided into 8 semesters. In this course students will have to learn about various Chemical Engineering Principles and Applied Biology.IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IIT BHU etc are some of the top colleges offering this course. The total course fees of this program is INR 1-8 Lakhs depending upon the college you are pursuing.

BTech Biotechnology: Admission Process

Admissions in BTech Biotechnology courses are generally done on the basis of entrance exams.Candidates who are interested in getting admission in BTech Biotechnology colleges can apply for the exam in an online method. They have to appear in an entrance examination to get admitted into the college. However, some of the colleges offers admissions on merit based students will have to apply online for those colleges.

BTech Biotechnology: Eligibility Criteria

• Students must pass their 10+2 level examination with at least 50% to 60% of marks in science subjects from a recognized board.
• They must have Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics or Biology as one of their subjects.

MTech Biotechnologisting

Master of Technology in Biotechnologisting is a full time postgraduate course in the duration of 2 year. This branch of engineering involves the application of technological advancements to biological material. They will have to study the production of various products using biological organisms and its principles. The total cost of pursuing this course is around INR 2-8 Lakhs. After completion of the programs students will get into companies like Biocon, Serum Institute of India, Panacea Biotec, Bharat Serum etc with a salary of INR 4-8 LPA.

MTech Biotechnologisting: Admission Process

Most of the colleges offering this program provide admission on the basis of entrance exams. Almost all the students have to appear in exams like GATE to get admission in colleges. However, some of the institution also conduct their own entrance test for admission.

MTech Biotechnologisting: Eligibility Criteria

• Candidates must have done bachelor levels of education completed from a recognized university.
• They must have a relevant degree of at the bachelor level.
• At least 50% marks (45% for reserved students) at the bachelor level.

How to Apply for the Entrance Exams?

• Visit the official web page to register yourself by providing accurate details to generate your registration number and password
• Use your registration number and password to login to the official website and enter your personal and academic details, test center as per your preference
• Upload passport size photograph, signature, and other documents are per the guidelines of examination authority
• Submit the Application Fee
• The last step is to download the acknowledgement page and print the application form for further use

How to Prepare for the Entrance Exams?

Some of the basic points students must have remember during their exam preparation are given below

• Prepare a study timetable and allocate time daily to your studies
• Stick with your time table to ensure the entire syllabus is covered at least once.
• Clear up your basics that will help you in tackling the advanced chapters
• Revise daily and give mock tests papers
• Practice as many sample papers as possible.

How to become a Biotechnologist Abroad?

Pursuing an engineering course abroad to become one of the most sought after professions, one does not have to worry much about his/her future if they become a Biotechnologist. Thus the best places to prepare for the career are USA, UK, Canada and Australia.

USA

To become a Biotechnologist in the USA Student must have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a relevant field.

• They must have valid score in English Proficiency test scores
• The duration of courses like biochemical, biomedical, biochemistry , biotechnology engineering, etc is of maximum 4 years
• The average course fees of pursuing these courses are INR 7 to 31 Lakhs depending upon the college

To be eligible for bachelor or master in USA, associate degree student is needed to-

• Have a 10+2 degree if applying for undergraduate courses.
• Have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study from a recognized university with at least 80% and higher
• Provide several GMAT/GRE score
• Submit IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent examination test scores

Top Colleges 

UK

• Top specialisation courses are Biochemistry, Biochemical, Biomedical, Biotechnology etc.
• The duration of following programs is between 2 to 4 year.
• Applications needed to be submitted online in the university official website
• The average course fee is between INR 10 to INR 26 lakhs

Students applying for the programs in United Kingdom ought to meet the subsequent requirements:

• Intermediate degree
• Bachelor's degree in relevant field
• Basic knowledge of related field
• Scores of entrance tests needed for education in United Kingdom
• GRE or GMAT score
• Average GMAT: 680
• Average GRE: 325
• Proof of English proficiency

Top Colleges

Canada

To pursue Biotechnologisting courses from Canada, students need to pursue 10+2 in any stream with a relevant subject. For pursuing master's degree courses, they must have done graduation in any relevant discipline.

The admission process to pursue biochemical courses in Canada is based on the scores obtained in 10+2 and graduation and also in the entrance examination.

• Students need to have a prior bachelor's or master’s degree in relevant specialization with 75% to 80%.
• At least one or two letter of recommendation from your academic professors
• Test Scores of TOEFL and IELTS etc,
• Valid student visa and citizenship certificate, etc.

Top Colleges

Australia

Australia offers full-time UG level to PG degree programmes in Biochemistry and Biochemical field

• Candidates have to submit test scores of IELTS, TOEFL etc.
• A few of the programmes require students to have prior work experience in their resume. In such a case, documents should be submitted online on the official website.
• The average course fee varies between INR 7 to INR 26 lakhs.

To be eligible for bachelor or master in Australia, associate degree student is needed to-

• Students must have a relevant subject at last academic institutions
• At least two letters of recommendation
• tests scores of TOEFL and IELTS etc
• Valid student visa and relevant certificate, etc.

Top Colleges

Benefits Of Being A Biotechnologist

After seeing such growth and globalization of medical technology over the years, hiring a Biotechnologist to help in inventing chemical products using biological organisms added value to the organization. The students having the drive for constant increase in job opportunities and a flair for having good physiological skills should pursue this degree. Below are given some of the valid reasons which will you in choosing this career

• Being a Biotechnologist is not just a challenging profession, but also has its own perks like good salary,learning opportunity, people orientation, analytical skills and the most important added value to the organization.
• Career as a Biotechnologist is a fast-paced and demanding field. However, the pay is something decent.The average pay for a Biotechnologist, irrespective of experience, is INR 3.5 LPA. A mid level can earn upto INR 5,00,000. A Biotechnologist with 10 years of experience can earn upto INR 8,00,000 per annum.
• When students keep acquiring experience in any field, job security will not be any issue in this profession. Biotechnologists with a noteworthy portfolio and years of work experience are in much demand. Students with over 10 years of experience upwards of INR 8 LPA and more
• The Positive impact of the career of having a Biotechnologist in the industry will not only help in various sectors of the working hierarchy but will also help the organization prosper within.
• Biotechnologisting as a career option is very challenging. They will pursue a diverse array of career opportunities by identifying, assessing, managing risks, and gaining a vivid set of knowledge will help your to grow in this industry and to make you ready for the next step in this sector.

How to become a Biotechnologist: Skills Required

To become a Biotechnologist you must hold some useful skills needed in this career.There are a variety of specializations one will attain to focus on on one side of the Biotechnologist. The following are some skills for the engineering career.

Salary of a Biotechnologist in India

The starting salary of a Biotechnologist in India varies from INR 3,68,000 to INR 5,00,000. The salary however may change upon the organizations and how much experience a person has.

Average Annual Salary

Specializations Wise

Gender Wise Salary

Experience Wise

What After Biotechnologisting

Students after completing a course in Biotechnologisting have two major options to choose from, higher education or a job. Both of these paths have been discussed in the section below.

After completing a course in biochemical discipline, there are higher education courses available. Students will have the option to pursue a course in M.Tech to improve their career in both jobs as well as career opportunities. Certains students are keenly interested in studies and want to get more knowledge and understanding of the field. In such cases they can go for an M.Tech or MBA program. Some universities also offer research levels in these. 

If you think that a bachelor degree is sufficient enough for you and you do not want to study further then you can simply continue your jobs. Doing higher education implies that you can spend significant time in your preferred specific field, but even without specialising you can work as a Biotechnologist.