Biochemistry & Molecular Biology: Now What?

Biochemistry and 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 2025) UMass Amherst BMB alumni:

• Accent Therapeutics
• Baystate Health Systems
• Berkshire Health Systems
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Biogen
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• Clearview Healthcare Partners
• Dermatology Associates of Concord
• Emerson Hospital
• Faustman Immunobiology Lab
• Hartford Healthcare
• Mass General Brigham
• Massachusetts General Hospital
• Millipore Sigma
• National Institutes of Health
• Newton-Wellesley Hospital
• Pridestar Trinity EMS
• Takeda Pharmaceuticals
• The New England Center for Children
• Tufts Medical Center
• UMass Chan Medical School

Other Top Employers for UMass BMB Majors after Graduation (Class of 2021  - 2024):

• AbbVie
• Alira Health
• Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
• Amgen
• Amherst Pediatrics
• Beam Therapeutics
• Beantown Biotech
• Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Biogen
• Blount Fine Foods
• Boston Bioproducts
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Boston Medical Center
• Bristol Myers Squibb
• Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
• Cell Signaling Technology
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (
• Charles River Laboratories
• ClearView Healthcare Partners
• Cooley Dickinson Hospital
• Cytiva (Global Life Sciences Solutions LLC)
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• DEKA Research & Development
• GSK
• Johnson & Johnson
• Labcorp
• LFB USA Pharmaceuticals
• Moderna
• Mt. Sinai Hospital
• National Institutes of Health
• Pfizer
• Rutgers Medical School
• Sanofi Genzyme
• 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 – 2024):

• AbbVie
• Argonne National Laboratory
• Bebiopharma
• Boehringer Ingelheim
• Boston Children’s Hospital
• Brigham & Women’s Hospital
• C4 Therapeutics
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Forma Therapeutics
• Foundation Medicine
• Harbour BioMed
• Johns Hopkins University
• Pfizer

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

BMB Job Search Resources         

UMass Handshake Database of Internships & Jobs                       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

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

Summer STEM Research Opportunities                               

www.pathwaystoscience.org/

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

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 Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 Job Outlook for Students)

Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on a Candidate’s Resume:

Problem Solving, Teamwork, Written Communication, Taking Initiative, Strong Work Ethic, Technical Skills, Verbal Communication, Flexibility/Adaptability, Analytical/Quantitative, Detail-Oriented

Factors Considered by Employers When Screening Candidates:

Academic Major, Has completed an internship in the industry, Industry experience, Has demonstrated proficiency in competencies, Has completed an internship with the organization, Has held a leadership position, Has been involved in leadership/extracurricular activities, Has held part-time jobs in college to finance education, Has done volunteer work