How to become a biological scientist

Official title: Biological scientists

Also called: Scientist, Animal scientist, Marine scientist, Aquatic scientist, Forensic scientist, Research scientist, Agricultural scientist, Audiological scientist, Plant health scientist, Horticultural scientist, Biological field surveyor, Fisheries research scientist

Biological scientists examine and investigate the morphology, structure, and physical characteristics of living organisms, including their inter-relationships, environments and diseases.

Main tasks

• Studies the physical form, structure, composition and function of living organisms
• Researches the effects of internal and external environmental factors on the life processes and other functions of living organisms
• Observes the structure of communities of organisms in the laboratory and in their natural environment
• Advises farmers, medical staff and others, on the nature of field crops, livestock and produce and on the treatment and prevention of disease
• Monitors the distribution, presence and behaviour of plants, animals and aquatic life, and performs other scientific tasks related to conservation not performed by Job holders in MINOR GROUP 215: Conservation and Environment Professionals

How to become one

Entrants usually possess a degree and some roles may require a postgraduate qualification. Entry may also be possible with an appropriate BTEC/SQA award, an HNC/NHD, or other academic qualifications. Further specialist training is provided on the job. Some employers may expect entrants to gain professional qualifications.

Ways in

• University: Science degrees, Offered by 27 universities in the UK

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £45,382 a year The middle half earn £31,080 to null.
• About 30,000 people work in this job now, and about 33,300 are projected by 2035. (+11.1%)

Related jobs

• Chemical scientists
• Biochemists and biomedical scientists
• Physical scientists
• Social and humanities scientists

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Questions people ask

How do I become a biological scientist?

Entrants usually possess a degree and some roles may require a postgraduate qualification. Entry may also be possible with an appropriate BTEC/SQA award, an HNC/NHD, or other academic qualifications. Further specialist training is provided on the job. Some employers may expect entrants to gain professional qualifications.

How much does a biological scientist earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £45,382 a year (Office for National Statistics).

Is a biological scientist a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 11% by 2035, from about 30,000 to about 33,300 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a biological scientist?

Usually. 82% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

Graduate outcomes: Discover Uni dataset, HESA (www.hesa.ac.uk), licensed under CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). Aggregated by subject and adapted by Peernovo.