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Biologist

Science & Research

Research or study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and functions.

Science

Picture the job

Where you'd usually workA laboratory

  • Mostly indoors
  • Sitting for most of the day
  • Rarely dealing with the public
  • Regular working hours

An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. The work-style notes come from US O*NET data, so read them as a guide.

In Malaysia

Biology research in Malaysia spans universities, public research institutes and specialised laboratories. UPM offers biology study and research; MARDI applies molecular biology and genomics to agriculture. Employers may advertise a specific research-officer role rather than simply 'biologist'.

How people get into it here
SPM → STPM/matriculation/foundation or a relevant diploma → related biology bachelor's degree → research assistant or an eligible research-officer application. A research master's or PhD is a further option for specialised or academic work; check each post's requirements.

Sources:science.upm.edu.mymardi.gov.myspa.gov.my

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

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 educationMaster's degree
The full route to this careerThe steps from school, UPU programmes and sourced costs, read against your answers.

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
Compare routes against your results and interests

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.

Search the programme catalogue

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

Quick answers

How do you become a Biologist in Malaysia?

SPM → STPM/matriculation/foundation or a relevant diploma → related biology bachelor's degree → research assistant or an eligible research-officer application. A research master's or PhD is a further option for specialised or academic work; check each post's requirements.

What should I study to become a Biologist?

Related fields of study: Science. SPM subjects that help most: Biology, Additional Science, English and Additional Mathematics.

How much does a Biologist earn in Malaysia?

We don't yet have a Malaysian source we can cite for Biologist pay, so we show no figure.

Biotechnology & STEM · Career guide

Biologist

Studies plant and animal life, including growth, structure and how organisms function.

Work overview based on O*NET occupation sources; Malaysian study examples and context are linked below. Actual requirements depend on the programme and post.

What does the work involve?
  • Observe and compare organisms.
  • Investigate biological growth, structure or function.
  • Analyse observations and report research findings.
O*NET — Biologists (work overview; US occupation data) ↗
Work settings and skills

Laboratories, fieldwork or research groups, depending on the project.

  • Science
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Writing
O*NET — Biologists (work overview; US occupation data) ↗
Study areas and planning after SPM

Biology, life sciences or biotechnology.

Planning example: SPM → science pre-university or a diploma meeting programme requirements → a relevant bachelor's → job applications or research training. Check each programme's special requirements and each vacancy.

UPM offers science and biotechnology programmes; compare course content with the biological field you want to explore.

These are study areas to explore, not verified admission rules for every programme. Check special requirements, recognition and curriculum directly with the institution.

Further study and professional checks

UPM offers thesis-based master's and PhD study with programme-specific admission rules. SPA's Research Officer Q9 scheme also accepts a relevant honours science bachelor's; postgraduate study is not required for every research post.

Check the actual vacancy before treating a qualification as sufficient. Study or training does not guarantee admission or employment.

Sources and checked date

Checked: 2026-11-10

What you'd do all day

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

  1. 1Research environmental effects of present and potential uses of land and water areas, determining methods of improving environmental conditions or such outputs as crop yields.
  2. 2Program and use computers to store, process, and analyze data.
  3. 3Prepare technical and research reports, such as environmental impact reports, and communicate the results to individuals in industry, government, or the general public.
  4. 4Supervise biological technicians and technologists and other scientists.
  5. 5Develop and maintain liaisons and effective working relations with groups and individuals, agencies, and the public to encourage cooperative management strategies or to develop information and interpret findings.
  6. 6Identify, classify, and study structure, behavior, ecology, physiology, nutrition, culture, and distribution of plant and animal species.
  7. 7Study basic principles of plant and animal life, such as origin, relationship, development, anatomy, and function.
  8. 8Collect and analyze biological data about relationships among and between organisms and their environment.
  9. 9Review reports and proposals, such as those relating to land use classifications and recreational development, for accuracy, adequacy, or adherence to policies, regulations, or scientific standards.
  10. 10Study aquatic plants and animals and environmental conditions affecting them, such as radioactivity or pollution.
  11. 11Study and manage wild animal populations.
  12. 12Write grant proposals to obtain funding for biological research.
  13. 13Prepare plans for management of renewable resources.
  14. 14Teach or supervise students and perform research at universities and colleges.
  15. 15Prepare requests for proposals or statements of work.
  16. 16Measure salinity, acidity, light, oxygen content, and other physical conditions of water to determine their relationship to aquatic life.
  17. 17Develop pest management and control measures, and conduct risk assessments related to pest exclusion, using scientific methods.
  18. 18Communicate test results to state and federal representatives and general public.
  19. 19Develop methods and apparatus for securing representative plant, animal, aquatic, or soil samples.
  20. 20Represent employer in a technical capacity at conferences.
  21. 21Plan and administer biological research programs for government, research firms, medical industries, or manufacturing firms.
  22. 22Study reactions of plants, animals, and marine species to parasites.

Also known as

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

  • Botanist
  • Biologist
  • Scientist
  • Biologists
  • Mycologist
  • Entomologist
  • Nematologist
  • Physiologist
  • Cell Biologist
  • Neurobiologist

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).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — 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.

  • Biology100%

    BiologyAdditional Science

  • Education and Training84%
  • English Language82%

    English

  • Mathematics72%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Administration and Management68%

    BusinessEconomics

  • Chemistry68%

    Chemistry

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 peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time spent sittingAlmost all the time

Where this job is heading

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

  • Inventory and order lab supplies.

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.

32%

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.

What beginner adverts asked for

We read 8 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.

5 of 8 were internships

Minimum CGPA asked

3.00 to 3.00

Stated in 2 adverts. Others did not state one.

Languages named

Bahasa Malaysia

An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

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: Biologists

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