Biotechnology Career Prospects: Skills Required and Higher Education Opportunities

Sakshi Education

Biotechnology is a unique course with multitudes of avenues. It is a rare blend of bio and engineering sciences. Check career prospects here.

It mainly deals with exploration of bio resources like plants, animals, microbes, and environmental resources and develops useful products to the society. Wide ranges of bio derived products that can be developed include Biofertilisers, Biopesticides, Biofuels, Biopharmaceuticals vaccines Enzymes Health care products, Biocosmetics and so on.

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Eligibility:
For admission in a bachelor’s degree, the candidate must have passed the Higher Secondary School Certificate (10+2) examination with Maths, Physics and Chemistry through EAMCET in AP. For IITs, it is mandatory to qualify in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE).

Course Analysis
The course mainly deals with culturing/growing of Biological systems/cells/their derivatives in large-scale bioreactors to get above-mentioned products using bioprocess technology. Hence knowledge about biological systems and their cultures methods including controlling of temperature, pressure, oxygen content, pH, volume of the medium etc ., and methods of getting pure products of marketable value.

Biotechnology finds its application in various industries like
Bioprocess industries involving production of enzymes, proteins, vaccines etc., Pharmaceutical, herbal based industries, Agribased industries involving production of transgenics, biofertilizers, biopesticides, tissue culture plants Energy Biofuels, Environment/waste management Food processing industries Human health diagnostics, veterinary, Drugs/analytical Bioinfomatics/ Immunnoinformatics/clinical data management /drug designing/protein modeling and so on.

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Biotechnology Job Areas
Although biotechnology industries make many different products from vaccines to seeds to specialized equipment, many of the job duties and titles are similar across the industry. To understand the different job functions, the jobs can be grouped into following areas:
1. Research and development (which includes research and development, laboratory support and technician jobs)
2. Manufacturing and services
3. Quality and regulatory affairs
4. Sales and technical support
5. Administration and management

Skills Required

Advanced Math Skills
Communications
Detail Oriented
Observation Skills
Work as a Team
Work well under pressure
Analyze/Evaluate Data
Biotechnology Lab Procedures
Computer Skills
Problem Solving/Critical
Record Keeping Skills
Technical Writing Skills

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Top Companies
Biotecnology graduates can opt for any of the multi directional avenues available after completing their B. Tech.

Biotech industries - AG biotech Sri Biotech Gayathry Biotech, Transdyne Biotech, Panacea Biotech etc
Pharma industries - Dr. Reddys, Aurobindo, Ranbaxy, NATCO Pharma
Vaccine industries - Shantha Biotech, Bharath biotech, Biocon, Hindustan Antibiotics
Agri industries - Nuziveedu seeds, Sri Biotech.
Software industries - TCS, Infosys, Reliance, Cognizant, Google, Wipro.
Health & Diagnostics - Biological E ltd, Indian Immunologicals, Serum Institute of India.

Some job profiles: Lab Technician, Research Scientist, Teacher/Professor, Research Associate, Science Writer, Biotechnologist, Sales Representative, Quality Control Officer etc.

Remuneration: A graduate trainee in this field can initially earn around Rs. 15,000 - 20,000 every month. Professionals working in private colleges can earn good salary depending upon their experience.

Higher Education

These students can pursue MS in leading foreign universities like University of Illinois, Texas, New York State university, University of Maryland etc.,
Five year Integrated MTech in Biotechnology in IIT Delhi & Kharagpur through IIT-JEE
The Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, AIIMS, Jadavpur University, Kolkata and Anna University also offers integrated M.Tech course
University of Pune offers MBA biotechnology through ATMA.

Specializations:

M.Sc. (Agriculture) Biotechnology
M.V.Sc. (Animal) Biotechnology
M.Sc. / M.V.Sc.in Veterinary Biotechnology
M.Sc. (Marine) Biotechnology
M.Tech.in Biomedical Engineering / Biotechnology
B Tech Industrial Biotechnology from VIT & Anna University

Entrance Tests:

JEE Advanced: Five year Integrated MTech in Biotechnology in IIT Delhi & Kharagpur through JEE Advanced.
JNU – Combined Biotechnology Entrance Examination: M.Sc. (Biotechnology), M.Sc. Agri./M.V.Sc(Biotechnology) & M.Tech (Biotechnology)
GATE: M Tech Biotechnology in IITs
ATMA: MBA biotech in University of Pune