Biochemist Career Description
Biochemistry is a science that describes the chemical building blocks and components of living organisms, as well as their functioning and physical qualities. The main task of the biochemist is
to describe these components and to explain how these components interact with each other in the different biological processes. More recently, molecular biology, which is the analysis and alteration of genetic material, has become an important field.
What am I going to do in this occupation?
Biochemists study the chemical composition of living things. They perform research; carry out experiments, tests and analyses to determine biochemical changes and to study the activities of living organisms. They study the composition and function of genes and transfer them into other organisms.
Biochemists work in different fields and these determine the nature of their work. Biochemists often perform research on new products. New ways are determined to successfully use waste material and methods are developed for the purification of water.
Biochemists also work in industry where products are manufactured through chemical processes and reactions and this is called biotechnology.
Biochemists are involved in the control of the purity of foods, the development of specific antibiotics and they test the reaction of the human body to certain medicine. They are also involved in genetics, forensic science etc.
Requirements
What kind of personality do I need?
The prospective biochemist must be interested in science, have an above average intelligence, be able to concentrate well, have an aptitude for Mathematics and Chemistry and possess good hand-eye co-ordination and be able to work very accurately.
Where can I work?
Possible employers are the following: research institutes, industries responsible for the production of food, pharmaceutical products and insecticides, to name but a few. There are also work opportunities at state departments such as the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health.
Can I work for myself in this occupation?
A biochemist can act as a consultant for various organizations, but biochemical laboratories require large sums of money, so this is not a very viable option.
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