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Biochemist & Biophysicist

Science & Research

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.

Science

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
  2. 2Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
  3. 3Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
  4. 4Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
  5. 5Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
  6. 6Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
  7. 7Design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers.
  8. 8Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules.
  9. 9Prepare reports or recommendations, based upon research outcomes.
  10. 10Design or build laboratory equipment needed for special research projects.
  11. 11Study spatial configurations of submicroscopic molecules, such as proteins, using x-rays or electron microscopes.
  12. 12Study the chemistry of living processes, such as cell development, breathing and digestion, or living energy changes, such as growth, aging, or death.
  13. 13Prepare pharmaceutical compounds for commercial distribution.
  14. 14Study the mutations in organisms that lead to cancer or other diseases.
  15. 15Research the chemical effects of substances, such as drugs, serums, hormones, or food, on tissues or vital processes.
  16. 16Research transformations of substances in cells, using atomic isotopes.
  17. 17Develop or execute tests to detect diseases, genetic disorders, or other abnormalities.
  18. 18Develop or test new drugs or medications intended for commercial distribution.
  19. 19Isolate, analyze, or synthesize vitamins, hormones, allergens, minerals, or enzymes and determine their effects on body functions.
  20. 20Examine the molecular or chemical aspects of immune system functioning.
  21. 21Research how characteristics of plants or animals are carried through successive generations.
  22. 22Develop methods to process, store, or use foods, drugs, or chemical compounds.
  23. 23Investigate the nature, composition, or expression of genes or research how genetic engineering can impact these processes.
  24. 24Produce pharmaceutically or industrially useful proteins, using recombinant DNA technology.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Chemist
  • Scientist
  • Biochemist
  • Biophysicist
  • Toxicologist
  • R&D Scientist
  • Postdoc Scholar
  • Postdoc Associate
  • Biological Chemist
  • Postdoc Researcher

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationPost-doctoral training

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

BiologyDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional ScienceDraws directly on Biology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
ChemistryDraws directly on Chemistry — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Biology93%

    BiologyAdditional Science

  • Chemistry87%

    Chemistry

  • Mathematics86%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language86%

    English

  • Physics81%

    Physics

  • Education and Training74%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time walking or movingA little

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Analyze biochemical or biophysical data.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

20%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Growing role in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics data, not Malaysian. Shown because it's the only forward-looking demand estimate we have for this job.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Agronomist / Agriculture Officer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Biochemists and Biophysicists

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue