Career options for Biotechnology at Murdoch University

Our Degrees are changing.

In 2014, Part I (first year) units will be introduced with Part II (second year and higher) units becoming available in subsequent years. Detailed information about Part II will be available here from mid-2014.

Find out more about our new degrees, or to get in touch and ask us what this means for you head to AskMurdoch. Continuing students can still access information for degrees commencing 2013 and prior in the Course Handbook.

Career options

The expansion of our knowledge in molecular genetics has taken genetic engineering out of the realm of science fiction and made it a reality. As a Murdoch graduate in Biotechnology or Molecular Biology, your employment outlook is brilliant, especially if you combine it with other disciplines. Depending on which skill combinations or specialisations you have, your Murdoch degree may lead you towards work and study opportunities in a number of areas. The following are some professions to consider, including extra majors and minors that will improve your prospects of achieving them.

Forensic Biologist

Forensic Biologists investigate crimes by collecting and analysing physical evidence. Often, they specialise in areas such as DNA analysis or firearm examination, performing tests on weapons or on substances such as fibre, glass, hair, tissue, and body fluids to determine their significance to the investigation. Proper collection and storage methods are important to protect the evidence. They also prepare reports to document their findings and the laboratory techniques used, and they may provide information and expert opinion to investigators. When criminal cases come to trial, forensic science technicians often give testimony, as expert witnesses, on specific laboratory findings by identifying and classifying substances, materials, and other evidence collected at the scene of a crime.

Food Science Technician

Food Science Technicians may conduct tests on food additives and preservatives to ensure compliance with Food and Drug Administration regulations regarding colour, texture, and nutrients.

Biological Scientist/ Biotechnologist

Today, many Biological Scientists Biotechnologists are involved in Biotechnology. Research using biotechnology techniques, such as recombining DNA, has led to the production of important substances, including human insulin and growth hormone. Molecular Biologists work on the Human Genome Project to isolate genes and determine their function. This work continues to lead to the discovery of the genes associated with specific diseases and inherited traits, such as certain types of cancer or obesity. These advances in biotechnology have created research opportunities in almost all areas of biology, with commercial applications in the food industry, agriculture, and environmental remediation, and in other emerging areas such as DNA fingerprinting.