Biochemists and biophysicists
Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.
Biochemists and biophysicists study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. The role reports a median annual salary of $103,650 in the US and is projected to grow 6% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Doctoral or professional degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.49 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Science, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Writing, Active Learning.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £45,382 a year for Biological scientists (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2112). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Biochemists and biophysicists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification Master's degree (e.g. M.Sc) in biochemistry or another life-science subject, at least 55% (50% for reserved categories)[1]
- 2 · Entrance exam Joint CSIR-UGC NET in Life Sciences[2][1]
- 3 · First role Assistant Professor in a college or university, or Junior Research Fellow toward a PhD[2]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- Joint CSIR-UGC NET June 2025 Information Bulletin — NTA (read on 2026-09-27)
- Joint CSIR-UGC NET — National Testing Agency (read on 2026-09-27)
2 open listings on our jobs board → Recent listings whose job title matches this career. Some jobs in this career are advertised under other titles.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Physics
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Engineering and Technology
A day in the life
You start the morning in the lab checking on protein samples that have been purifying overnight and preparing them for analysis. You run a set of measurements on the mass spectrometer, then look at the results with a graduate student, discussing why one sample behaves differently from the rest. Mid-morning you meet your research team to review progress and set the coming week's experiments. After lunch you work on building a three-dimensional model of the protein from the imaging data, trying to understand how its shape explains what it does in the cell. Later you turn to a grant proposal due soon, writing and rewriting sections to convince reviewers that your new method is worth funding. Grant writing is slow, uncertain and often frustrating. But when an experiment finally confirms an idea you have chased for months, the excitement is real, and you start drafting the paper that will share it with other scientists.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Biochemists and biophysicists do?
Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.
What does a typical day look like in Biochemists and biophysicists?
You start the morning in the lab checking on protein samples that have been purifying overnight and preparing them for analysis. You run a set of measurements on the mass spectrometer, then look at the results with a graduate student, discussing why one sample behaves differently from the rest. Mid-morning you meet your research team to review progress and set the coming week's experiments.
How much does Biochemists and biophysicists earn?
The median annual salary for Biochemists and biophysicists in the US is $103,650.
What is the job outlook for Biochemists and biophysicists?
The role is projected to grow 6% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 35,600 workers.
How do I become biochemists and biophysicists?
The typical entry education is a Doctoral or professional degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Biochemists and biophysicists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Science, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Writing, Active Learning, Speaking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Biochemists and biophysicists?
Our AI-durability model gives Biochemists and biophysicists a score of 0.49 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Biochemists and biophysicists has very high barrier to entry — very highly gated — extended graduate education, licensure, or years of specialised training are required.