Animal Geneticist Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Are you searching for an animal geneticist job description? Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of an animal geneticist. Feel free to use our animal geneticist job description template to produce your own animal geneticist job description. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as an animal geneticist.
Who is an Animal Geneticist?
An Animal Geneticist is an expert who researches the genetic composition of animals to identify the genes responsible for particular behaviors, attitudes, etc. Animal geneticists occasionally focus on animal health, identifying immunological and disease vulnerabilities, which helps us understand which circumstances promote good health and which can be detrimental. They can aid in enhancing beneficial trait inheritance, which can enhance the animal’s general performance and output.
Animal geneticists may develop breeding plans, examine pedigrees, and consider population genetics depending on their expertise. While occasionally traveling to other farms to observe the animals in person, they frequently operate in labs. To comprehend genes, DNA, and basic animal biology adequately, animal geneticists need to have a scientific background. For research and data collecting, they use a variety of different software applications.
Animal geneticists may also investigate animal health to understand why certain animals are immune to a particular disease or fail to flourish in an environment. They explore strategies to hasten genetic divergence between various breeds and look for techniques to enhance selection judgments. They could also aid in mapping different species’ genomes and creating fresh methods for assessing animal features.
Some animal geneticists also study domestic and wild animals, although most concentrate on working with livestock species, especially cattle and poultry. Animal geneticists often look for employment in the aquaculture sector as it is a reliable source due to its continued rapid expansion.
Animal geneticists sometimes work for businesses that invest a lot of money studying animal illnesses to develop new drugs to treat them. In this position, you may examine genetic illnesses affecting the heart, lungs, or joints, much as the study of cancer in people.
Animal Geneticist Job Description
What is an animal geneticist job description? an animal geneticist job description is simply a list of duties and responsibilities of an animal geneticist in an organization. Below are the animal geneticist job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write an animal geneticist job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of the Animal Geneticist include the following:
- Analyze, evaluate, document, and disseminate the research, operational data, and conclusions that are part of a breeding program.
- Crossbreed animals to produce unusual fusions of desirable traits.
- Examine tools to verify accurate data; consult with technical experts to address design or development problems.
- Create grant proposals, get financing, and organize and carry out initiatives based on basic and applied research.
- Accelerate genetic divergence between several breeds of an animal species to help with selection considerations
- Assist in mapping the genomes of numerous animals; investigate genetic traits or expression.
- Compare the genetic composition of various species to have a better understanding and to suggest healthy reproduction and growth.
- Investigate the effects of diverse chemicals on animal tissues and biological functions.
- Research on the genes and increase the heritability of desirable features in certain animal species at the molecular, organismal, and population levels.
- Plan biological research; gather, synthesize, and evaluate biological samples.
- Prepare technical or scientific papers, presentations, and recommendations by researching disease resistance and parasites.
- Train, supervise, and control scientific and technical staff; instruct college students on pertinent subjects.
- Work on research projects with scientists or technological experts; create innovative ways to assess animal features.
Qualifications
- Possess a bachelor’s degree in animal science, dairy science, or poultry science
- A master’s degree after earning a bachelor’s degree in genetics or a related discipline
- A doctoral degree may be necessary for some positions, so it is advisable to get it if possible
- Experience in animal genetics research or professional practice through at least an internship
Essential Skills
Here are the skills you require to excel as an Animal Geneticist:
- Analytical Skill
- Detail-orientation
- Empathy
- Excellent Communication Skill
- Laboratory Knowledge
- Problem-solving
- Scientific Writing
- Mathematical and Arithmetic Skills
- Time Management
- Tenacity
- Interpersonal
Analytical Skill
Analytical skill helps you use analysis and logical reasoning to solve an issue. Animal Geneticists must possess great analytical skills to assess data and perform tests. They conclude from the results of their study using their judgment and logic.
Detail-orientation
Being detail-oriented entails looking into details to pick relevant information, perform a task efficiently or prevent avoidable errors.
When doing trials and research, animal geneticists need to be precise. They could operate machinery that needs precise movements, so dexterity is a valuable skill in this profession.
Empathy
As humans, we need empathy in various aspects of our lives. This skill is also required in the medical profession, even in animal genetics study and practice.
Empathy is crucial for animal geneticists because it inspires them to study hereditary illnesses.
Excellent Communication Skill
Communication is the means of passing information from one person or medium to another. Animal geneticists often interact with various individuals, such as veterinarians, owners, caretakers, and other geneticists. They converse with other experts, such as engineers to discuss the creation of new technologies. Animal geneticists convey their research and conclusions to customers and colleagues through verbal and written communication abilities.
Laboratory Knowledge
Animal geneticists perform research, evaluate data, and create novel goods and treatments using their laboratory expertise. They experiment, record data, and assess outcomes using laboratory skills. Animal geneticists utilize their expertise in the lab to produce novel livestock and companion animals as well as novel drugs and therapies for animals.
Problem-solving
Problem-solving is the ability to solve arising problems. Animal geneticists use problem-solving skills to address genetic issues in the creatures they study. Additionally, they use these abilities to figure out how to enhance animal health and their breeding.
Answering questions about genetics, creating answers to genetic problems, and employing experiments and data analysis to address scientific challenges are part of an animal geneticist’s job description. As a result, the ability to solve problems is crucial.
Scientific Writing
Scientific writing is technical writing used to explain and illustrate scientific data to other scientists.
To communicate their findings with other scientists, animal geneticists frequently produce research papers and other types of publications. They could also prepare applications to seek grants or other financial sources to assist their study.
Animal Geneticists may also provide writing for their research assistants, students, and other participants.
Mathematical and Arithmetic Skills
Maths skill is necessary for some careers; animal genetics isn’t excluded. You must be an expert in mathematics to solve equations and formulae in your day-to-day work as an animal geneticist.
Time Management
When doing research, animal geneticists must prioritize their duties, work on several things at once, and manage their time effectively. Therefore, you must have the ability to set priorities, manage your time, and produce high-quality work.
Tenacity
Animal geneticists do extensive research using trial-and-error methods, which calls for endurance to keep working and attempting novel strategies.
Interpersonal
Many animal geneticists use this skill to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, serve as team leaders, and inspire and motivate their colleagues to accomplish a common goal.
How to Become an Animal Geneticist
Animal genetics is not a very common field, so someone interested in it should follow strict steps depending on their country of study to become one.
Below are the general steps to becoming an animal geneticist:
Step One: Get an Undergraduate Degree
Students who want to tow the path of animal geneticist should get an associate degree in animal science, biology, anatomy, chemistry, etc. You may also learn how to research matters related to management, marketing, management, breeding, and health.
In a bachelor’s degree program, you might also choose to major in animal sciences. You may then use your education in the life sciences to advance the fields of animal breeding and genetics. Animal biology, nutrition, genetics, reproduction, and development will be part of your fundamental education.
Step Two: Go Through Graduate School and Get a Master’s Degree
As an animal geneticist, you need to have gotten your bachelor’s degree to further your education in the master’s programs. Applicants having a background in physics, mathematics, organic chemistry, statistics, biochemistry, and molecular genetics may be given considerable priority by some schools. Additionally, students will require letters of recommendation and results from graduate admissions exams. Typically lasting two to three years, master’s programs end with a thesis or in non-thesis programs, extra coursework.
Cattle health and genetic behavior are topics covered by students in graduate-level animal science programs with a focus on genetics. The program covers every aspect of animal genetics, including evolution, the relationship between diet and reproductive health, and lactation. Commonly taught subjects include animal health, biochemistry, physiology, reproduction, etc.
Step Three: Acquire Expertise in Professional Research or Internship
While advancing your education, you could think about gaining as much work experience in the field of animal genetics as you can. Such experience is beneficial when you are seeking a job as an animal geneticist. To gain experience, you can think about taking on research projects, applying for animal genetics-related internships, or engaging in laboratory placements. If you have more expertise in applying pertinent scientific methods and analytical skills, you are more likely to be eligible for certification as an animal geneticist.
Step Four: Obtain a Ph.D.
Consider earning your Ph.D. if becoming an advanced research animal geneticist is your career goal. To work as a director of research or as a postgraduate faculty member, a Ph.D. is frequently required. You think about beginning work as an animal geneticist while finishing your doctoral research because doctorate programs typically take three to five years to complete, depending on your country of study.
You may anticipate taking a variety of genetics courses and seminars on topics related to animal sciences if you intend to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree. You’ll need to do original research, write a dissertation on the findings, pass several written and oral exams, serve as a teaching assistant, and more.
Candidates for doctoral programs must hold a master’s degree, with preference given to those that trained in the biological and animal sciences. There are certain specialist programs available for those with only a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, students may require GRE results as well as recommendation letters. A dissertation based on original research is often required for graduation from a Ph.D. program; the dissertation may last 2-3 years on average.
Students at animal genetics-focused Ph.D. programs receive training in statistics, animal management, and quantitative genetics. Students need to attend both lectures and seminars. The master’s-level curriculum is mostly repeated in the Ph.D. program’s coursework, but with a more specialized genetics emphasis. Classes may include animal production, breeding, nutrition, physiology, and statistics.
Where to Work as an Animal Geneticist
Animal geneticists may work in animal production facilities, pharmaceutical firms, private businesses, research laboratories, zoos, hatcheries, state or federal government, schools, and universities.
With an associate’s degree or certificate program in either veterinary technology or medical technology, you might be able to acquire an entry-level job in a lab. With a bachelor’s degree in one of the animal sciences, you may find employment with a pharmaceutical company or an agribusiness, working on farms or in labs. You can find yourself working in research at a university that emphasizes genetics or animal nutrition if you have a master’s degree in animal genetics.
Animal Geneticist Salary Scale
Animal geneticists in the United States may get an average salary of $64,261 yearly, which is about $30.89 an hour, like $5,355 per month or $1,235 weekly. Most Animal Geneticists’ salaries currently range from as low as $16,500 to as high as $143,000.
An animal geneticist makes about £50,000 annually in the United Kingdom. Their salary may be between £30,500 and £102,000. It would be difficult for someone with merely a bachelor’s degree to obtain employment in this industry, as some firms prefer those with a master’s degree in the relevant study. However, those with a Ph.D. and some work experience in animal genetics will earn more money.
In Canada, an animal geneticist may earn up to CA$50,870 annually and as little as CA$29,628 annually.
The average gross salary for animal geneticists in Australia is AU$125,685, which is like AU$60 per hour. Additionally, they receive an AU$2,363 bonus on average.
Animal Geneticists in Nigeria may expect to make between ₦70,000 and ₦350,000 a month.
As of the time of compiling these data, the animal geneticist’s salary scale for Ireland and Germany was unavailable.
It should also be noted that animal geneticists’ salaries differ based on several factors like industry, company/hospital, skills, years of expertise, etc.