Forensic Microbiologist
Working Conditions
- Work is performed in offices, laboratories, non-laboratory off-sites, or at deployment sites.
- Work outside includes the potential for exposure to hazardous materials including biological pathogens.
- Work may also require long periods of standing, stooping, bending, and carrying of heavy objects.
- Must travel as required, often with little or no advance notice.
Relations
Departments
Forensic Microbiologist will have to work with chemist and even the Department of Homeland Security in case of a terrorist attack
Job Description
Employment
Careers
- A related and almost identical career to a forensic microbiologist is a forensic scientist. Forensic scientist do some thing microbiologist do but on a more general scale.
- Another related career is a medical microbiologist they help prevent, diagnose, and control infections.
Future Demand
Salary
- Forensic microbiologist work against bioterrorism.
- For example in the 2001 anthrax mail attack forensic microbiologists traced the exact spores of anthrax used in the attacks.
- Other dutis include:
- Serves as an internationally known expert on biological matters, responding to incidents or questions involving the release or threatened release of hazardous materials; directs testing on suspect biological materials; serves as the lead scientist during operational response deployments
Letter from anthrax mail attack
The median salary for Microbiologist is $66,000 although this is not locally.
Forensic science is one of the fastest growing occupations. Forensic Microbiology in particular is a fairly new field that is emerging due to more terrorist threats. Because it is relatively new it is difficult to predict its exact career opportunities.
Bibliography
What is Forensic Microbiology?
"FBI Lab Positions." FBI. FBI, 18 Aug. 2010. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"Forensic Biologist." ExploreHealthCareers.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"Forensics Colleges & Universities." Forensics Colleges. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"What Is Forensic Microbiology?" Work. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014
Forensic microbiology is the study of microorganisms in order to determine the path of an outbreak, the identity of a criminal or the origin of a particular strain of biological weapon or contagion.
Why Forensic Microbiology?
I chose Forensic Microbiology because I want to study Microbiology in college. Bacteria and viruses, and how they can be both helpful and hurtful is very interesting. It is even more interesting that microbiologist are the people who deal with bio terrorist threats. Being able to study something I'm interested and maybe save the world is something I might actually consider as a career.
Education
- At least a Bachelors degree in Microbiology is required. A minor in Forensic Science is helpful.
- Best schools for microbiology are Harvard, Stanford, Washington University, and Michigan State University.
- Top schools for forensic science are University of Maryland, University of Albany, and University of Cincinnati.
- Lab experience should be obtained in college.