Investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Includes medical microbiologists who study the relationship between organisms and disease or the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.

Other names for Microbiologists: Bacteriologist, Cell Biologist, Chemist, Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Clinical Microbiologist, Cytologist, Electron Microscopist, Genetic Scientist, Medical Laboratory Technician, Medical Microbiologist, Medical Technologist, Microbiological Analyst, Microbiological Laboratory Technician, Microbiologist, Microbiology Laboratory Director, Microbiology Laboratory Manager, Microscopist, Mycobacteria and Brucella Laboratory Head, Physical Scientist, Professor of Microbiology, Public Health Microbiologist, Public Health Microbiology Laboratory Director, Quality Control Microbiologist (QC Microbiologist), Study Director, Virologist, Virology Director,

• Isolate and make cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.
• Perform tests on water, food and the environment to detect harmful microorganisms and to obtain information about sources of pollution and contamination.
• Examine physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics, using microscope, to identify and classify microorganisms in human, water, and food specimens.
• Provide laboratory services for health departments, for community environmental health programs and for physicians needing information for diagnosis and treatment.
• Observe action of microorganisms upon living tissues of plants, higher animals, and other microorganisms, and on dead organic matter.
• Investigate the relationship between organisms and disease including the control of epidemics and the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.
• Supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists.
• Study growth, structure, development, and general characteristics of bacteria and other microorganisms to understand their relationship to human, plant, and animal health.
• Prepare technical reports and recommendations based upon research outcomes.
• Study the structure and function of human, animal and plant tissues, cells, pathogens and toxins.
• Use a variety of specialized equipment such as electron microscopes, gas chromatographs and high pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence activated cell sorters and phosphoimagers.
• Conduct chemical analyses of substances such as acids, alcohols, and enzymes.
• Research use of bacteria and microorganisms to develop vitamins, antibiotics, amino acids, grain alcohol, sugars, and polymers.

• Electronic multichannel pipetters
• Spirit burners
• Anaerobic chamber
• Analytical balances
• Lasers
• Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
• Microbiology slide stainers
• Microbiology analyzers
• Manual or electronic hematology differential cell counters
• Automated cover slipping equipment
• Robotic or automated liquid handling systems
• Forced air or mechanical convection general purpose incubators
• Dry heat or hot air sterilizers
• Air samplers or collectors
• Safety hoods
• Microbiology fermentation equipment
• Binocular light compound microscopes
• Counters
• Digital cameras
• Decontamination shower
• Electronic counters
• Binocular light compound microscopes
• Conductivity meters
• Laboratory staining dishes or jars
• Tissue culture flasks
• Culture tubes
• Developing tanks
• Deoxyribonucleic sequence analyzers
• Benchtop centrifuges
• Desktop computers
• Air samplers or collectors
• Dry wall single chamber carbon dioxide incubators
• Stereo or dissecting light microscopes
• Dissolved oxygen meters
• Dropping pipettes
• Dry baths or heating blocks
• Drying cabinets or ovens
• Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
• Electronic toploading balances
• Electroporation cuvettes
• Microplate readers
• Laboratory adapters or connectors or fittings
• Laboratory flasks
• Eyewashers or eye wash stations
• Circulating baths
• Fire extinguishers
• Rotating shakers
• Microbiology analyzers
• Microbiology analyzers
• Fluorescent microscopes
• Infrared spectrometers
• Freeze dryers or lyopholizers
• Homogenizers
• Gas chromatographs
• Gas generators
• Gel documentation systems
• Gel boxes
• Gel boxes
• Blotting or transfer apparatus
• Laboratory graduated cylinders
• Electronic encyclopedias
• Dry baths or heating blocks
• Laboratory hotplates
• Lasers
• HEPA filtered enclosures
• High pressure liquid chromatograph chromatography
• Benchtop centrifuges
• Hybridization ovens or incubators
• Impedance meters
• Infra red or ultra violet absorption analyzers
• Infrared spectrometers
• Microbiology inoculation loops or needles
• Inverted microscopes
• Laboratory beakers
• Laboratory funnels
• Gas burners
• Laboratory washing machines
• Laboratory heat exchange condensers
• Laboratory membrane filters
• General purpose refrigerators or refrigerator freezers
• Multipurpose or general test tubes
• Laboratory vacuum pumps
• Laminar flow cabinets or stations
• Laser printers
• Liquid chromatographs
• Air samplers or collectors
• Cryogenic or liquid nitrogen freezers
• Magnetic stirrers
• Mass spectrometers
• Laboratory balances
• Calorimeters
• Microcentrifuges
• Automated microscope stages
• Dropping pipettes
• Microscope slides
• Infrared spectrometers
• Microplate readers
• Air samplers or collectors
• Notebook computers
• Microscope objectives
• Shaking incubators
• Orbital shaking water baths
• Osmometers
• Peristaltic pumps
• Personal computers
• Petri plates or dishes
• pH meters
• Darkfield microscopes
• Photo attachments for microscopes
• Pipette pumps
• Laboratory balances
• Specialty plates for bacteria
• Protective gloves
• Protective coats
• Safety glasses
• Spectrometers
• Pipetter inserts or accessories
• Laboratory incubator thermometers
• Refrigerated benchtop centrifuges
• Refrigerated baths
• Respirators
• Laboratory mixers
• Safety shoes
• Scanning electron microscopes
• Petri plates or dishes
• Blotting or transfer apparatus
• Laboratory mixers
• Shaking incubators
• Ultrasonic disintegrators
• Laboratory staining dishes or jars
• Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
• Test tube racks
• Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers
• Homogenizers
• Transilluminators
• Transmission electron microscopes
• Ultra cold or ultralow upright cabinets or freezers
• Ultracentrifuges
• Ultraviolet UV lamps
• Spectrometers
• Spectrophotometers
• Vortex mixers
• Ultra pure water systems
• Specimen collectors
• Diffractometers

Word processing software

Presentation software

Spreadsheet software

Data base user interface and query software

Information retrieval or search software

Analytical or scientific software

Medical software

Internet browser software

Electronic mail software