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Molecular and Cellular Biologists

SOC 19-1029.02Job Zone 5 · Extensive Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers molecular and cellular biology research practice across academic, government, and industry settings, from supervised laboratory training through executive scientific leadership, encompassing experimental design, grant acquisition, mentorship, and organizational strategy.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Laboratory records and experimental data — maintain accurately using standardized templates and electronic lab notebooks under faculty or senior researcher supervision in an academic or industry research setting.
  2. Standard molecular biology protocols — execute under direct oversight, including DNA extraction, PCR amplification, and gel electrophoresis, in a supervised wet-lab environment.
  3. RNA purification and basic cloning procedures — perform by following established step-by-step protocols under close mentorship in a molecular biology research laboratory.
  4. Scientific literature — read and summarize relevant journal articles to support understanding of assigned research questions in a graduate or postdoctoral research context.
  5. Experimental data — record, organize, and perform preliminary analysis using spreadsheet software under direction in a research team environment.
  6. Cell culture and basic cell biology techniques — carry out routine maintenance tasks following documented safety and procedural guidelines in a biosafety-level-appropriate laboratory.
  7. Laboratory meetings and scientific seminars — participate actively by asking clarifying questions and summarizing key findings as a junior contributor in an academic research group.
  8. Research presentations — prepare introductory slides and posters using presentation software under guidance from a principal investigator or senior colleague.
  9. Biological databases and bioinformatics portals — navigate and retrieve sequence or functional data as directed to support ongoing molecular research projects.
  10. Laboratory safety and regulatory compliance — follow all applicable protocols, including hazardous material handling and waste disposal, under supervision in a research laboratory setting.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Laboratory records and datasets — maintain, version-control, and audit routinely using electronic lab notebook and file versioning software with reduced oversight in a research laboratory.
  2. Molecular and cellular experiments — design at the individual project level, execute with minimal supervision, and interpret results in the context of published literature within an academic or biotech research environment.
  3. DNA sequencing, site-directed mutagenesis, and RNA sequencing workflows — perform and troubleshoot independently, adapting protocols to address common technical challenges in a mid-career research role.
  4. Cell signaling and gene expression studies — conduct with growing autonomy, applying appropriate controls and statistical analysis to validate findings in a mammalian or model-organism research system.
  5. Research manuscripts and progress reports — draft, revise, and submit with limited editorial guidance, following journal style requirements and institutional reporting standards.
  6. Grant pre-proposals and fellowship applications — contribute substantively to writing sections covering background, significance, and experimental design under senior investigator guidance.
  7. Undergraduate research assistants and rotation students — instruct in core techniques, safety procedures, and scientific reasoning within a university research or training laboratory.
  8. Analytical or scientific software platforms — apply routinely for data processing, statistical analysis, and visualization, selecting appropriate tools for standard bioinformatics and imaging tasks.
  9. Laboratory scheduling and supply inventory — coordinate and prioritize to ensure efficient workflow across multiple concurrent experiments in a shared research laboratory.
  10. Complex problem-solving in experimental failures — diagnose root causes and implement corrective measures independently using systematic troubleshooting approaches in a cellular or molecular biology setting.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Multi-experiment research programs — design, oversee full execution, and interpret results autonomously across the complete project lifecycle, including non-routine and novel biological systems in an academic, government, or industry research environment.
  2. Comprehensive laboratory records and data management systems — establish and enforce standards for data integrity, reproducibility, and archiving across an entire research group.
  3. Full-length grant applications — write independently, synthesizing scientific literature, articulating specific aims, and justifying experimental approaches to secure extramural funding from federal agencies or private foundations.
  4. Cell differentiation, cellular bioinformatics, and cell organization research — conduct at a senior expert level, integrating multi-omics data and advanced imaging to address fundamental biological questions.
  5. Research manuscripts, reviews, and book chapters — author and revise to publication standard, serving as corresponding author and responding to peer reviewer critiques across high-impact journals.
  6. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers — mentor and instruct in advanced experimental design, scientific writing, and career development within a university or research institute environment.
  7. Non-routine molecular phenomena and contradictory datasets — evaluate critically, apply inductive and deductive reasoning, and generate innovative hypotheses to advance understanding in the field.
  8. Laboratory operations including budgets, personnel, and regulatory compliance — direct and prioritize to sustain a productive, safe, and ethically sound research program.
  9. External scientific presentations and conference talks — deliver authoritatively, representing original research findings to specialist and interdisciplinary audiences at national and international meetings.
  10. Advanced data mining and bioinformatics software pipelines — deploy and customize to analyze large-scale genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic datasets, interpreting results within the broader biological context.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Long-range research strategy and scientific vision — set and communicate at the departmental or organizational level, defining priority questions in molecular and cellular biology that guide resource allocation and hiring decisions.
  2. Large-scale grant portfolios and center-level funding initiatives — lead development and submission, coordinating multi-investigator teams and aligning scientific goals with agency priorities and institutional strategic plans.
  3. Scientific workforce — develop systematically through structured mentorship programs, training curricula, and performance frameworks that advance the careers of graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty.
  4. Interdisciplinary and cross-institutional research collaborations — initiate, organize, and sustain, negotiating intellectual property, data-sharing agreements, and publication credit across academic, government, and industry partners.
  5. Departmental and institutional research policies — influence and shape, including biosafety, research integrity, and diversity initiatives, through committee leadership and senior administrative roles.
  6. Field-wide knowledge gaps and emerging methodologies — identify proactively and champion adoption of transformative technologies such as single-cell multi-omics or CRISPR-based functional genomics across the research organization.
  7. Peer review and editorial leadership — provide at the journal, study section, or program officer level, evaluating scientific rigor and impact to guide funding and publication decisions across the discipline.
  8. Organizational laboratory infrastructure and capital equipment investments — evaluate and decide upon, aligning technology acquisition with long-term scientific and institutional priorities.
  9. Public and stakeholder communication — translate complex molecular and cellular biology findings into policy-relevant or commercially actionable insights for government agencies, boards of directors, or the general public.
  10. Culture of scientific innovation, intellectual curiosity, and ethical practice — model and institutionalize at the organizational level, establishing norms that sustain high-impact, reproducible, and responsible research.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

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Sources:Pathsmith™ Durable SkillsPathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Show O*NET source anchors63 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Biologist · Biology Researcher · Cell Biologist · Cell Biology Scientist · Cellular Biologist · DNA Sequencing Associate · Electrophysiologist · Molecular Biologist · Molecular Biology Researcher · Molecular Biology Scientist · Molecular Biology Specialist · Molecular Research Biologist
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
ScienceReading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingActive ListeningSpeakingActive LearningLearning StrategiesMathematicsMonitoringInstructingSocial PerceptivenessCoordinationPersuasionOperations AnalysisTime ManagementNegotiationSystems EvaluationManagement of Personnel ResourcesSystems Analysis
Knowledge domains
BiologyEnglish LanguageChemistryMathematicsEducation and TrainingComputers and ElectronicsMedicine and Dentistry
Abilities
Written ComprehensionOral ComprehensionInductive ReasoningOral ExpressionWritten ExpressionCategory FlexibilityDeductive ReasoningProblem SensitivitySpeech ClarityInformation Ordering
Work styles
Intellectual CuriosityAttention to DetailDependabilityInnovationCautiousnessAchievement Orientation
Technology
Analytical or scientific softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareObject or component oriented development softwareOffice suite softwareData mining softwareData base user interface and query softwareFile versioning softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareSpreadsheet softwarePresentation software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Maintain accurate laboratory records and data.
  2. Design molecular or cellular laboratory experiments, oversee their execution, and interpret results.
  3. Write grant applications to obtain funding.
  4. Perform laboratory procedures following protocols including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing, cloning and extraction, ribonucleic acid (RNA) purification, or gel electrophoresis.
  5. Conduct research on cell organization and function, including mechanisms of gene expression, cellular bioinformatics, cell signaling, or cell differentiation.
  6. Prepare or review reports, manuscripts, or meeting presentations.
  7. Instruct undergraduate and graduate students within the areas of cellular or molecular biology.
  8. Direct, coordinate, organize, or prioritize biological laboratory activities.
CIP education codes
26.010126.020426.020726.020826.020926.021026.029926.030126.030526.030726.030826.039926.040126.040326.040426.040626.040726.049926.050326.050426.050526.050626.050726.050826.050926.070226.070726.080126.080226.080326.080426.080526.080726.089926.091026.100126.100426.110126.110226.110426.119926.120126.130126.130226.130326.130426.130526.130626.130726.130826.131026.131126.139926.150126.150226.150326.150426.159926.999927.030630.190130.270130.320142.2706

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me®, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.