A molecular technologist works in a laboratory conducting tests and performing research on molecular material. To pursue this career, you will need advanced scientific knowledge, which you can start seeking as early as high school and can further develop in a biology, molecular biology or cell biology college program. A degree in another type of science might be beneficial as well. If you hope to advance to a senior scientist position or become a department manager, a graduate degree might help you toward this goal. Additionally, you can benefit from seeking opportunities to build your laboratory skills and gain experience that you can add to your résumé.
A high school education usually is a prerequisite if you want to become a molecular technologist. This career requires you to study science in college, so taking advanced science classes in high school can give you a good base of knowledge on which you can build. Often, science degree programs require a solid grasp of mathematics, because advanced math courses usually are among the degree requirements. As such, you might benefit from taking college-preparatory math courses in high school. Additionally, classes in which you build writing and analytical skills — both of which are important for college and this career — can help you as you work toward this job.
To become a molecular technologist, you also will need a college education. Often, people who choose this career have college degrees in majors such as biology, cell biology or microbiology, but majoring in another field of science can also help you prepare for this career. For example, you might find a job in this field after earning a degree in chemistry. No matter which science degree program you choose, however, a solid understanding of biology and microbiology will likely be critical for this career.
Some positions that will be available when you want to become a molecular technologist will require more advanced education than others. Likewise, you might need a graduate degree if you hope to advance as far as possible in this field. For example, continuing your education until you have earned a master’s degree or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree might help you qualify for some senior scientist positions. Such positions often translate into more responsibility, a higher salary and better benefits.
You also will need solid laboratory skills if you want to become a molecular technologist. For the most part, you can acquire these skills while you are in college, and you can even begin to develop them while taking laboratory science in high school. You can, however, seek out other opportunities to hone your laboratory skills and make yourself a more attractive job candidate. For example, you could offer to assist a professor with his research, take on an internship or even participate in a cooperative-education program that allows you to spend some of your college semesters learning and the others working in a laboratory.
