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Biological Technicians

SOC 19-4021.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparation

Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.

Context coveredAcademic, government, and biotech research labs; tissue culture, microbiology, molecular biology, animal-care support; clinical-research and field-support roles.

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. Lab glassware, pipettes, and balances — use accurately under a senior technician's review in a routine bench setting.
  2. Reagent prep and aliquoting — perform per the lab's standard operating procedures.
  3. PPE, biosafety, and chemical-hygiene practice — apply consistently at BSL-2.
  4. Sample receiving, labeling, and logging — maintain accurately across daily intake.
  5. Standard assays (PCR setup, ELISA, plate reading) — run per SOP on assigned projects.
  6. Cell-culture maintenance (passaging, feeding) — perform on standard lines under a scientist's review.
  7. Animal-care basics (cage changes, observations) — conduct per IACUC protocol with veterinary oversight.
  8. Instrument logs and maintenance schedules — keep current on assigned equipment.
  9. Lab safety incidents and near-misses — recognize and report to a supervisor.
  10. Routine data entry into LIMS or notebooks — complete daily under review.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Standard molecular and biochemistry workflows — execute independently from sample receipt through reporting.
  2. Method troubleshooting on routine assays — perform with documented checklists in a research lab.
  3. Cell-line authentication and mycoplasma testing — schedule and perform on the lab's portfolio.
  4. Equipment maintenance (autoclaves, biosafety cabinets, microscopes) — own routine PM on assigned instruments.
  5. Junior technicians and interns — train on safety, technique, and documentation.
  6. Inventory and reagent purchasing — manage at task level under a lab manager's review.
  7. Animal handling (rodents, zebrafish) for routine procedures — perform per protocol with documentation.
  8. Field collection and sample preservation — conduct on standard ecology or genomics projects.
  9. Standard imaging (light, fluorescence microscopy) — acquire and annotate per a defined SOP.
  10. Project schedules and assay queues — manage in coordination with the lab's PIs.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. End-to-end workflow ownership (NGS, flow cytometry, complex animal studies) — lead within a research lab.
  2. Method validation and SOP authoring — produce for the lab's recurring techniques.
  3. Lab safety officer or biosafety designee — serve with documented institutional responsibilities.
  4. Quality and reproducibility audits — conduct across recurring assays and projects.
  5. Senior technicians and rotation students — supervise across a small team.
  6. Procurement, capital-equipment specs, and vendor management — lead with scientist input.
  7. Manuscript-grade data packages — prepare with figures and methods sections.
  8. Cross-lab method transfers and core-facility liaison — manage with documented hand-offs.
  9. IACUC and IBC protocol amendments — author with PI sign-off.
  10. Continuous-improvement programs — lead with measurable outcomes.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Lab manager or technical-operations lead role — set direction across staff, equipment, and budget.
  2. Cross-PI cores and shared facilities — build and steward for an institute or department.
  3. Capital-equipment strategy and grant-funded acquisitions — author with PIs at million-dollar scale.
  4. Workforce development and certification programs — design with HR and academic partners.
  5. Institutional safety culture and compliance — advance through committee leadership.
  6. Talent pipelines from community colleges and undergraduate programs — build with measurable retention.
  7. Major audits and inspections (USDA, OLAW, EHS) — lead at institutional level.
  8. Vendor and consortium negotiations — conduct for shared-services contracts.
  9. Recognition and retention programs for technical staff — institutionalize with measurable outcomes.
  10. Legacy mentorship and field-shaping technician training — contribute through state and national programs.

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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Pathsmith™ Durable Skills Framework

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 anchors52 anchors · skillscrosswalk.com

O*NET enrichment · skillscrosswalk.com

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Source anchors that ground each statement

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RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningScienceActive LearningWritingSpeakingMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingMathematicsOperations MonitoringSystems Analysis
Knowledge domains
BiologyEnglish LanguageMathematicsComputers and ElectronicsChemistry
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionInductive ReasoningNear VisionOral ExpressionInformation OrderingDeductive ReasoningWritten ExpressionWritten ComprehensionSpeech RecognitionProblem Sensitivity
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntellectual CuriosityIntegrityCooperation
Technology
Document management softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareOffice suite softwareData base user interface and query softwareGeographic information systemSpreadsheet softwareMap creation softwareDevelopment environment softwareWord processing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
  2. Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties.
  3. Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel.
  4. Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.
  5. Provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers working in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, resource management, biology, and health sciences.
  6. Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.
  7. Input data into databases.
  8. Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination.
CIP education codes
26.010126.010226.020226.020426.040626.050226.050326.050826.070126.070826.070926.080126.110226.110326.110426.130226.130426.150141.0101

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.