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Bacteriologist, Biological Scientist, Mycologist, Parasitologist, Research Scientist, Virologist
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Microbiologists study the biochemical, physiological, and genetic aspects of micro-organisms, and how they interact. In general, they:
Microbiologists use a range of specialized equipment. Depending on the task, they could be working with incubator-shakers, fermenters, autoclaves, light and electron microscopes, epifluorescence, or confocal microscopes. Other applications may call for centrifuges, gas chromatographs, high-pressure liquid chromatographs, mass spectrometry, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, DNA sequencers, fluorescence-activated cell sorters, or phosphorimagers.
Microbiologists work in wide-ranging fields of study, including:
Medical and clinical microbiologists help physicians and allied health-care workers diagnose, prevent, and treat infections in animals and humans by:
Some medical and clinical microbiologists work as university professors, where their duties may include:
Microbiologists in the food, dairy, and brewing industries may work in quality control, where they propose safe laboratory and manufacturing practices.
Work in microbiology is often interdisciplinary. Microbiologists may work closely with:
Some microbiologists may work outdoors performing tasks such as obtaining samples. This is true for those who work in the environmental, agricultural, and veterinary sectors, for example. But most work is done indoors in a lab or with a computer.
Microbiologists must understand and follow detailed procedures. The pressure of meeting project deadlines can be stressful.
Chemical injury or exposure to infection from pathogens is a routine risk, so safety procedures are a must. Medical microbiologists must often receive preventive inoculations. Microbiologists working with human pathogens and toxins must carefully self-monitor their health. When seeking a medical consultation, they must clearly indicate their profession and work activities.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in synthesizing information to study the effects and control of human, plant and animal pathogens and toxins
Interest in precision working with instruments to conduct clinical and laboratory studies to test, evaluate and screen drugs and pharmaceuticals, and to conduct molecular and biochemical studies and experiments into genetic expression, gene manipulation and recombinant DNA technology
Interest in consulting to advise on issues related to the development of new practices and products at the cellular and molecular level; may supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Microbiologists need:
They should enjoy:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 38 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 29, 2021 and Oct 11, 2024.
Review these skills to learn:
| Construction Specialization: Team player | 23 |
|---|---|
| Attention to detail | 21 |
| Construction Specialization: Accurate | 21 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent written communication | 21 |
| Health benefits: Health care plan | 18 |
| Construction Specialization: Excellent oral communication | 17 |
| Tasks: Produce reports | 17 |
| Health benefits: Dental plan | 17 |
| Health benefits: Vision care benefits | 16 |
| Construction Specialization: Time management | 14 |
The minimum educational requirement is a 4-year bachelor of science (B.Sc.) degree. This could be in microbiology, cell biology, immunology, biochemistry, or genetics with some background in chemistry. A B.Sc. is the basic qualification to work as a lab assistant or lab technician. A master’s degree or PhD is usually required for senior research positions. Microbiologists with a PhD can continue into post-doctoral fellowships.
Medical microbiologists involved in direct patient care must have a medical degree (MD) and have undertaken residency training in medical microbiology. For more information, see the Family Physician occupational profile.
Clinical microbiologists involved in health-care institutions, private labs, public health, and industry must:
Microbiologists who want to work in a medical research laboratory should consider a B.Sc. degree in medical laboratory science or a B.Sc. plus a related 2-year diploma. Other forms of certification may be required for some positions.
Admission to graduate degree programs generally requires an acceptable average in the last 2 years of a related bachelor’s degree program.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Certain professional titles or duties within this occupation are protected by provincial legislation. Requirements vary if you use these titles or perform these duties.
The related legislation is shown below. If there are multiple related legislations, select a certification heading to learn about each one.
Biologists study living organisms and apply their scientific knowledge in various fields.
Under Alberta’s Professional and Occupational Associations Registration Act [pdf] and Professional Biologists Regulation [pdf], you must be a registered member of the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB) to use the Professional Biologist title or the P. Biol. and P Biol initials.
You do not have to register if you do not call yourself a Professional Biologist.
For information on what you need and other details, visit the certification profile Biologist.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Microbiologists work for:
Microbiologists with a B.Sc. degree may work as technologists in post-secondary, government, or industrial labs. An M.Sc. degree offers the possibility of professional work in the same types of labs. Those with a PhD or MD have the option of leading research or teaching at a university. They can also manage a hospital (clinical) diagnostic microbiology lab or advance to a senior scientific appointment in government or industry.
Contract work is becoming more common for microbiologists.
Advancement depends on the size and nature of the employing organization and the microbiologist’s qualifications.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Biologists and related scientists
2016 NOC: 2121
79.3% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the short-term demand forecasted for this occupation in Alberta over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2023-2025 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Microbiologists’ salaries vary widely depending on responsibilities and qualifications. For example, a technician with a B.Sc. degree will earn much less than a researcher with a PhD.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
High Reliability, represents a CV of less than or equal to 6.00% and 30 survey observations and/or represents 50% or more of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $22.00 | $55.00 | $34.71 | $33.00 |
| Overall | $24.00 | $70.91 | $46.17 | $46.86 |
| Top | $26.00 | $101.09 | $60.62 | $58.00 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $91,023 |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | $87,887 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $100,349 |
| Public Administration | $97,896 |
Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB) website: www.aspb.ab.ca
Canadian Society of Microbiologists (CSM) website: www.csm-scm.org
Canadian College of Microbiologists (CCM) website: www.ccm.ca
Canadian Association for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (CACMID) website: www.cacmid.ca
ECO Canada website: www.eco.ca
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2024. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
