CareerHigh

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. WHO IS A BIOCHEMIST?
2. HOW MUCH DOES A BIOCHEMIST EARN?
3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BIOCHEMISTS
4. SKILLS REQUIRED TO BE A BIOCHEMIST
5. A GUIDE TO BECOME A BIOCHEMIST
6. TOP 10 COMPANIES IN INDIA TO HIRE BIOCHEMIST AS FRESHERS
7. FUTURE OUTLOOK
8. CAREER HIERARCHY

I. WHO IS A BIOCHEMIST?

• Biochemists are the scientists who study chemistry of living things.
• Their work includes studying the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity.
• Some biochemists do basic research that expands scientific knowledge about the chemistry of living things. Others do applied research—that is, they work to create new products or to solve practical problems.
• Although their jobs may vary widely, almost all biochemists do laboratory research at least some of the time.
• They schedule research projects to test theories or develop new products or processes.
• In this, they are often aided by laboratory technicians or research assistants.

II. HOW MUCH DOES A BIOCHEMIST EARN?

• The average annual salary of an Entry Level Biochemist is 0.1 lakh to 2.8 lakh pa. (0-2 years of experience)
• The average annual salary of a Mid-level Biochemist is 2 lakh to 5 lakh. (2-5 years of experience)
• The average annual salary of a High-level Biochemist is 5 lakh to 10 lakh. (5 and above years of experience)

III. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF BIOCHEMISTS

• Analyse different organic and inorganic compounds to determine different chemical and physical properties, their composition, and structure.
• Develop good quality medicine they conduct different tests to provide good quality.
• Maintain the equipment used to test a sample as a wrong reading can destroy the quality of medicine.
• Evaluate the laboratory safety by making sure that the equipment and instruments are working properly.
• Keep records of their activities through notes, and logs.
• Perform tasks, such as weighing chemicals, filtering liquids, distilling ingredients, and growing cultures of microorganisms
• Write up their findings for scientific journals and report them before groups of scientists.

BASED ON THEIR JOB PROFILE

• Forensic scientists- Collect evidence and analyse the physical evidence from a crime scene investigation.
• Analytical chemists- They study chemicals and chemical composition and their behaviour. They create new medicines that help fight diseases.
• Biomedical scientists- Work to gain information on how the human body works and how different drugs work on the human body.
• Clinical research associate- They regulate clinical tests of different drugs to analyse the benefits and risks of using them.
• Toxicologists- They use scientific techniques to find different toxins like chemical and biological substances to identify the risks and harmful effect.

IV. SKILLS REQUIRED TO BE A BIOCHEMIST

Technical skills:-

A biochemist needs to have some basic technical skills. These skills vary from department to department. Some of these skills are:

• Chemistry: A biochemist needs to have subject knowledge of chemistry as it helps to tell the composition, properties, and structure of elements and compounds.
• Data analysis: Data analysis is an important skill that a biochemist needs. They are often required to perform data analysis, interpretation, and documentation of the product.
• Standard Biochemical Test like Elisa and Immunoassay: These tests are required to identify different antigens, proteins, and antibodies.
• Assay development: It is an important process in molecular biology to test or measure the activity of a drug or biochemical substance in an organic sample or organism. Biochemists should be able to standardize the assay and to be able to use it repeatedly and reproducibly.
• GMP: It stands for Good Manufacturing Practice and it ensures that medicine, food, and different beverages are of good quality. Biochemists need to know this this in order to develop and trouble-shoot immunoassays.
• R language: Biochemists are required to perform data analysis and create automated analysis scripts for quality control release of manufactured materials. Thus, they need a decent knowledge of R.

Soft Skills:-

There are certain soft skills which one needs to fulfil for the job of a biochemist. Some of these basics skills are:

• Analytical skills: Biochemist must be able to conduct different scientific experiments and analyse them. This can help them to make decisions and provide solutions.
• Communication skills: It is a basic need of any career. Biochemists must pay attention to their fellow workers and communicate with the team members. This ensures the elimination of doubts.
• Critical thinking: Biochemists are required to deduce conclusions after performing experiment through reasoning and judgment. They must determine the advantage and limitations of the solution.
• Mathematical skills: A decent knowledge of statistics connected with mathematics is needed for a biochemist. They use different formulas and complex equations regularly in their work.
• Problem-solving ability: A biochemist needs to analyse and find solutions to different complex scientific problems.
• Time management: Time management is an essential skill for biochemist in order to meet deadlines when they conduct different research.

Minimum Skills Required:

• Analytical skill
• Chemistry
• Data analysis
• GMP
• R

V. A GUIDE TO BECOME A BIOCHEMIST

Here is a career path to become a Biochemist. It can be referred to make sure you do not miss any important step in meeting the job requirements.

i. Complete your school (10+2)

To become a biochemist, the minimum requirement that you must fulfill is complete your schooling from a recognized school/university. Your academic stream can include any possible combination of subjects like mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry. Though, there is no hard core rule to choosing subjects, it is advisable to study science(physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and computer ) in your school to build a strong foundation. You can also be an active participant in science clubs, science fairs, and summer programs with theme of science.

ii. Graduation and Post-Graduation Degree

If you want to work as a biochemist at an entry-level position, you should have a bachelor’s degree in subjects’ like- Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry. You can be then hired as research assistants or technicians. However, if you choose to go for masters you should pursue your post-graduation in biochemistry. This will help you secure jobs in applied research and some teaching jobs.

iii. Doctoral Degree (Ph.D.)

To work in independent research and development as a biochemist you need a doctoral degree. You can also teach and do research at a university or move into a management or administration job once you hold a Ph.D in biochemistry.

iv. Certificate Courses

There are various certificate courses that validate your learning/knowledge of biochemistry. It is advisable for you to take up these courses during your graduation as it will give weightage to your resume and also help you gain experience.

1. Biochemistry of Biomolecules Certification Programme by SWAYAM
2. Certified course in Principles of Biochemistry by edx
3. Certified course in Biochemistry offered by IIT Kharagpur via SWAYAM
4. Certificate course in Introduction to Medical Biochemistry by Udemy

v. Entrance Exams for Biochemistry Courses

There are various UG and PG level entrance exams that offer biochemistry admission. If you wish to have a career in biochemistry, you can sit in these exams and seek admission in the reputed institutions of India.

1. LPUNEST (Post-Graduation)
2. IISER B.Sc. Entrance Exam
3. UPCATET (Under-graduate and Post-Graduate)
4. BHU-PET (Post-Graduation)
5. GSAT (Under graduation and Post-Graduation)
6. MGU CAT (Under graduation, Post-Graduation and Ph.D.)
7. AIIMS Biochemistry Entrance Exams
8. LPU NEST
9. CUCET

VI. TOP 10 COMPANIES IN INDIA TO HIRE BIOCHEMIST AS FRESHERS

• Aurobindo Pharma
• Sanofi
• Samilabs
• Biocon
• Parexel
• Novozymes
• Panacea biotec
• Glenmark pharmaceuticals
• Pfizer

VII. FUTURE OUTLOOK

• Biochemist jobs are growing at a good rate and there is an increase in scientific research so a good number of biochemists are required to do the research.
• It is expected that in the future the biochemist will do research on genetic research to develop new medicines and new drugs against different viruses and diseases.
• This demand will increase the number and demand for the biochemist.

VIII. CAREER HIERARCHY

Research Associate > Senior Scientist > Senior Development Scientist

ALL THE BEST!!!