Biochemistry & Molecular Biology: Now What?

[Found on the Occupational Outlook Handbook]

What is Biochemistry? Biochemistry explores the chemical processes within and related to living organisms, and focuses on processes happening at a molecular level. It is a laboratory based science that uses chemical knowledge and techniques, to understand and solve biological problems.  Biochemistry covers a range of scientific disciplines, including genetics, microbiology, forensics, plant science and medicine. It focuses on what’s happening inside our cells, studying components like proteins, lipids and organelles. It also looks at how cells communicate with each other, for example during growth or fighting illness. Biochemists and biophysicists study the chemical and physical principles of living things and of biological processes.

What do biochemists do?  Biochemists seek to understand how the structure of a molecule relates to its function, allowing them to predict how molecules will interact. They provide new ideas and experiments to understand how life works, support our understanding of health and disease, and contribute innovative information to the technology revolution. Working on interdisciplinary teams with experts in other fields, such as physics, chemistry, healthcare, computer science, and engineering, biochemists use electron microscopes, lasers, and other laboratory technologies to carry out research, scientific experiments, and analysis. For example, they use computer modeling software to determine the three-dimensional structures of proteins and other molecules. Biochemists and biophysicists involved in biotechnology research use chemical enzymes to synthesize recombinant DNA.  

Biochemists and biophysicists work in basic and applied research. Basic research is conducted without any immediately known application; the goal is to expand human knowledge. Applied research is directed toward solving a particular problem.

Biochemists, sometimes called molecular biologists or cellular biologists, may study the molecular mechanisms by which cells feed, divide, and grow. Others study the evolution of plants and animals, to understand how genetic traits are carried through successive generations.

Biophysicists may conduct basic research to learn how nerve cells communicate or how proteins work. Biochemists and biophysicists who conduct basic research typically must submit written grant proposals to colleges and universities, private foundations, and the federal government to get the money they need for their research.

Biochemists typically do the following:

• Plan and conduct complex projects in basic and applied research
• Manage laboratory teams and monitor the quality of their work
• Isolate, analyze, and synthesize proteins, enzymes, DNA, and other molecules
• Research the effects of substances such as drugs, hormones, and food on tissues and biological processes
• Prepare technical reports, research papers, and recommendations based on their research
• Present research findings to scientists, engineers, and other colleagues

What is Molecular Biology? Cell and Molecular Biology is an interdisciplinary field that bridges the fields of chemistry, structure and biology as it seeks to understand life and cellular processes at the molecular level, paying special attention to how molecules control a cell’s activities and growth. With a focus on coordination of the activities that form the essential systems of a living cell, molecular biologists work to define the underlying mechanisms of human disease, to identify new therapeutic targets responsible for disease, and to lay a foundation for the development of novel therapies.  This field is rapidly providing important new insights into the basis and treatment of numerous human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, cardiomyopathies, retinal degeneration, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, and mental retardation. 

What does a molecular biologist do? Molecular biologists conduct research and academic activities. The research component involves the study of biological structures in well-equipped laboratories with advanced technology to help them explore complex molecular structures and their particular functions. The equipment may include microscopes, lab centrifuges, computers with specific software that allows them to analyze obtained data, and many more. The reason why research in molecular biology is so important is because the concepts discovered in this manner can be applied to mainstream biology, medicine, wildlife study and protection of endangered animals, food industry, pharmaceutical industry and environment protection.

A molecular biologist can also conduct academic work such as teaching, workshops, practical demonstrations in universities, at conferences, and in governmental agencies. This component requires the ability to explain the molecular concepts of biology in an easy-to-understand way for people who may need such knowledge in their field of study and work. At some point in their careers, doctors, environmental experts, biologists, bio-engineers and other professionals have been trained by a molecular biologist. Molecular biologists may also formulate and elaborate specific strategies or protocols in governmental agencies using their ability to understand biological processes at the molecular level

What Can I Do With A Degree In Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB)?

Important Note:  Bachelor’s and master’s degree holders qualify for some entry-level positions in biochemistry and molecular biology. However, biochemists and molecular biologists generally need a Ph.D. to work in independent research and development. After earning the PhD, many scientists in this field seek to fill a temporary postdoctoral research position (2-3 years) at a university 

Who Could I Work For?
 

• Government Agencies including:
  • Centers for Disease Control
  • Department of Agriculture
  • Department of Defense
  • Department of Health and Human Services
  • Drug Enforcement Agency
  • Environmental Protection Agency
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • National Cancer Institute
• Bio-Tech Companies
• Colleges and Universities
• Environmental Management Firms
• Energy Companies
• Forensic Labs
• Hospital
• Law Firms
• Chemical Engineering Firms
• Non-profit Organizations
• Perfumes and Cosmetic Companies
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Agriculture
• Food institutes

Selection of Employers for recent (Class of 2024) UMass Amherst BMB alumni:

• Abbvie
• Action Ambulance Service
• Adult & Pediatric Dermatology
• Amgen
• Atavistic Bio
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Blount Fine Foods
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Boston Medical Center
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• Cell Signaling Technology, Inc.
• Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
• Dana Farber Cancer Institute
• Green Analytics Massachusetts LLC
• GSK
• Massachusetts General Hospital
• McLean Hospital
• Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center
• MIT CS and Artificial Intelligence Lab
• National Institute on Aging
• Planned Parenthood NYC
• Sanofi Genzyme
• The Rockefeller University: Gap Year
• Trinity Health of New England
• UMass Chan Medical School
• University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research
• Wyzer Biosciences, Inc.

Other Top Employers for UMass BMB Majors after Graduation (Class of 2021  - 2023):

• Alira Health
• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
• Amherst Pediatrics
• Beam Therapeutics
• Beantown Biotech
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Biogen
• Boston Bioproducts
• Boston Medical Center
• Bristol Myers Squibb
• Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
• Cell Signaling Technology
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Charles River Labs
• ClearView Healthcare Partners
• Cooley Dickinson Hospital
• Cytiva (Global Life Sciences Solutions LLC)
• DEKA Research & Development
• Johnson & Johnson
• Labcorp
• LFB USA Pharmaceuticals
• Moderna
• Mt. Sinai Hospital
• National Institutes of Health
• Pfizer
• Rutgers Medical School
• Scribe America
• Steward Health Care Network
• Stonyfield Organic
• Takeda Pharmaceuticals
• The Ragon Institute
• Thermo Fisher Scientific
• United Nations Foundation
• Vertex Pharmaceuticals
• Veterans Affairs Hospital
• Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital
• Yale Center for Genome Analysis

Previous Internship Sites as self-reported by UMass Amherst BMB students (2021 – 2023):

• Bebiopharma
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• C4 Therapeutics
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Forma Therapeutics
• Foundation Medicine
• Harbour BioMed
• Pfizer

(More information on students’ past internships can be found here)

Where Might I Do An Internship?

UMass Amherst Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Majors Have Done Internships at these sites:

Abbott Laboratories

Alexion Pharmaceuticals

American Friends Service Committee

Amgen Inc.

Amherst (Town of)

Baystate Medical Center

Boston Biochem

Broad Institute

CFRx

Children's Hospital Boston

Coastal America Foundation

Cubist Pharmaceuticals

Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center

Eastman Chemical Company

EMD Millipore

GlycoSolutions Corp

Horace Mann Educated Financial Solutions

inviCRO, LLC

MASSPIRG

Pfizer

Riken

Sanofi Group (Pasteur & Genzyme)

Scripps Research Institute

Stanford University

U of Texas SW: Grad School for Biomed Science

UMass Amherst Emergency Medical Services

UMass Amherst Environmental Health & Safety

UMass Amherst Green Office Program

UMass Amherst Student Legal Services

UMass Medical School (Worcester)

US Army: Natick Soldier Center

UTC Aerospace Systems

Career Planning Resources & Websites

UMass Amherst CNS Career Center: cns.umass.edu/careers

Career Exploration Tools: https://www.umass.edu/careers/career-journey/self-discovery 

O-Net: “Biochemists and BioPhysicists”: www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-1021.00

O-Net: “Molecular and Cellular Biologists”: www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-1029.02

Massachusetts Career Information System: www.masscis.intocareers.org 

(Click Mass Resident to login with “Amherst/01003”  Then click “Occupations” or “Assessments”)

Amer Chem Society “Chemistry Careers”: www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers

Science.gov Gateway to US Federal Science: www.science.gov

Mass Life Sciences Center: www.masslifesciences.com

Biotech Now: www.biotech-now.org

BMB Job Search Resources         

Handshake: https://umass.joinhandshake.com/ 

Bio-Tech

Mass BioTechnology Council: https://careers.massbio.org/

Biotech Careers: https://www.biotech-careers.org/

Mass Medical Device Industry Council: https://business.massmedic.com/jobs

Boston Scientific: www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/careers

BioPharmGuy Entry level jobs: https://biopharmguy.com/services/entrylevel.php 

Chemistry

Chemistry Jobs: www.chemistryjobs.com

General Biology And Science Jobs

American Soc for BMB Careers Blog: https://www.asbmb.org/Careers/Blog/ 

Bio Space: www.biospace.com/jobs/homepage/

American Society for Cell Biology: https://jobs.ascb.org/ 

More sites for Life Science Jobs: www.masslifesciences.com/resources

General Science Jobs (widely defined): https://jobs.sciencecareers.org/ 

New Scientist Jobs: https://jobs.newscientist.com/

NatureJobs (widely defined): www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/

Science Journal: http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/

List of Science Job Sites: www.botw.org/top/Science/Employment

Government Agencies

National Institutes of Health: https://www.jobs.nih.gov/jobs

Health and Human Services Jobs: https://www.hhs.gov/careers/

USDA Agricultural Research Service: www.ars.usda.gov/careers/careers.htm

Internships and Research Opportunities

Finding Independent Lab Research On Campus: www.umass.edu/biochem/undergraduate/lab

Office of Undergraduate Research and Studies (OURS): www.umass.edu/ours

Mass Life Sciences Internship Program: http://www.masslifesciences.com/programs

STEM Internships in Federal Government: https://stemundergrads.science.gov/ 

Bio-Med Research Opps for Pre-Meds (BIG List): https://people.rit.edu/gtfsbi/Symp         

Summer Medical Research Programs: https://students-residents.aamc.org

Summer STEM Research Opportunities: www.pathwaystoscience.org/programs

Broad Institute Summer Research Prgrm in Genomics: https://www.broadinstitute.org/bsrp 

National Science Foundation – REUs: https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.jsp 

Pharmaceuticals

International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineers: https://www.ispeboston.org/

UMass Amherst ISPE chapter: https://sites.google.com/view/ispeumassamherst

American Assoc of Pharma Scientists Jobs Board: https://careerfair.aaps.org/ 

Drug Information Association: www.diaglobal.org/resources/career-center

General Job Search Engines 
One-Stop Career Centers (search by zip code): www.careeronestop.org/jobsearch/findjobs
GlassDoor: www.glassdoor.com/index.htm

Indeed: www.indeed.com

SimplyHired: www.simplyhired.com  

BMB Professional Organizations

American Association for the Advancement of Science: www.aaas.org

American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists: www.aaps.org 

American Chemical Society: www.acs.org

American Physiological Society: www.the-aps.org

American Society for Biochem and Molecular Bio: www.asbmb.org

American Society for Cell Biology: www.ascb.org

Association of American Medical Colleges: www.aamc.org

Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities: www.abrf.org

Biochemistry Society: www.biochemistry.org

Biophysical Society: www.biophysics.org

Biotechnology Innovation Organization: www.bio.org

Cell Death Society: www.celldeath-apoptosis.org

Chem Industry: http://www.chemindustry.com/index.html     

Intl Society for Molecular Electronics and Biocomputing: http://mebc.elte.hu/

Massachusetts Biotechnology Council: www.massbio.org

Society for Industrial Microbiology: http://www.simbhq.org/

Society for In Vitro Biology: www.sivb.org

UC Santa Barbara Library: http://guides.library.ucsb.edu/mcdb 

World Molecular Imaging Society: http://www.wmis.org/ 

Important Transferable Qualities To Include On Your Resume

Analytical skills. Biochemists must be able to conduct scientific experiments and analyses with accuracy and precision.

Critical-thinking skills. Biochemists draw conclusions from experimental results through sound reasoning and judgment.

Interpersonal skills. Biochemists typically work on research teams and need to be able to work well with others toward a common goal. Many also serve as team leaders and must be able to motivate and direct other team members.

Math skills. Biochemists regularly use complex equations and formulas in their work, and they need a broad understanding of mathematics, including calculus and statistics.

Perseverance. Scientific research involves substantial trial and error, and biochemists must not become discouraged in their work.

Problem-solving skills. Biochemists use scientific experiments and analysis to find solutions to complex scientific problems.

Speaking skills. Biochemists frequently give presentations and must be able to explain their research to others.

Writing skills. Biochemists write memos, reports, and research papers that explain their findings.

What Do Employers Look For? (Source: NACE 2024 Job Outlook for Students)

Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on Candidate Resumes

1. Problem-solving skills
2. Ability to work in a team
3. Communication skills (written)
4. Strong work ethic
5. Flexibility/adaptability
6. Communication (verbal)
7. Technical Skills
8. Analytical/Quantitative Skills
9. Initiative
10. Detail-oriented

Top 7 Attributes that can positively influence employers the most

1. Internship with the organization
2. Internship within the industry
3. Major
4. General work experience
5. Leadership experience
6. Extracurricular activities
7. High GPA (3.0 or above)