Microbiologists

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that employment for microbiologists will grow by 5 percent, about as fast as the average for all careers, through 2028. Microbiologists will continue to be needed to take recent research and knowledge, such as the isolation and identification of genes and biological drugs that are produced with the aid of microorganisms, to the next level. The focus on cleaning up and preserving the environment will add to job growth for biological scientists. The DOL reports that "efforts to find more clean sources of energy will involve microbiologists, such as mycologists and industrial microbiologists, who research and develop alternative energy sourcs such as biofuels and biomass." Concern over bioterrorism may also create employment opportunities for microbiologists.