Life Science Jobs and Careers

Life science involves the study of living things including all kingdoms of life:

• Animalia
• Plantae
• Fungi
• Protista
• Monera

As such, it includes the study of humans and any related considerations including heath sciences and bioethics.

• Biology is the major area of study relevant to life sciences but
• technological advancements have created interdisciplinary opportunites with chemistry, physics and math.
• Biotechnology is a new avenue of study and biochemistry and biophysics avenues are presently available fields of education.

Biology includes the study of all five kingdoms of organisms investigating their complexity and variety.

• It includes study in biochemistry,
• pharmacological studies,
• molecular genetics and
• population genetics.

As all organisms rely on chemical processes for survival, an understanding of the chemistry of life is important to the understanding of the complexity ot life.

Biological studies may include

• health science,
• general biology,
• botany and plant sciences, and
• developmental and cell biology.

In biophysics, the patterns in life are analyzed using math and physical laws. Biophysicists ask and study questions about life such as,

• "How do protein machines work?",
• "How do systems of nerve cells communicate?",
• "How do proteins pack DNA into viruses?",
• "How do viruses invade cells?",
• "How do plants harness sunlight to make food?".

Environmental science deals with the relationships of organisms within an ecosystem or biosphere studying their interrelationships with each other and non-living components of their habitats. Environmental science studies may include

• aquatic ecology,
• fish and wildlife protection and
• ecology & evolutionary Biology.

WHAT HIGH SCHOOL PREPARATION DO I NEED?
For entry into first year studies in Life Sciences, students need six Grade 12 U/M courses including:

• English
• Advanced Functions in Math
• Calculus (not always a requirement but definitely recommended)
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics would be an asset especially if interested in biophysics.

What Post Secondary Preparation is Required?

The study of science in school appears to be dropping in the U.S.; therefore, there is currently a large demand for those qualified for positions in life science fields ranging from technicians to research scientists. Most jobs in life sciences require the following levels of education:

1.A diploma from college in a program related to the study of biology, biochemistry or ecological sciences or a combination of the former tends to be a minimal requirement. College programs will generally lead to a job as a technician or technologist and require two to three years of study preferably with concurrent work-placement opportunities.

2.A Bachelor or Honors Bachelor of Science in one or more of the life sciences will provide a greater scope of job choice. Work as a science teacher, college professor, bioengineer, and some research lab jobs can be achieved through this level of education.

3.A Master’s Degree or PhD results in the higher paying job opportunities including research biologist or biochemist, physician, epidemiologist and university professor.

The skills important in a career in life sciences are similar to those important to a career in the physical sciences. The following link is provided outlining those skills: Physical Science Jobs and Careers.

In addition, those looking for a career in the life sciences should have little to no aversion to blood or bodily fluids, as biology requirements almost exclusively require exposure to dissections and histology work.