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Lecturer, Biological Sciences

Education

Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

EducationScience

Picture the job

Where you'd usually workA lecture hall

  • Mostly indoors
  • Dealing with customers or 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 lecturers in Malaysia teach in science faculties at public and private universities, and also in pre-university programmes such as Matriculation colleges, Asasi/Foundation and STPM-level institutions. Research areas often focus on tropical biodiversity, biotechnology and marine science.

How people get into it here
SPM → STPM/Matriculation/Foundation/Diploma → Bachelor's in Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology or a related life science → Master's (minimum for a DS11 public-university post) → PhD (strongly preferred; needed for Senior Lecturer and above)

Sources:pengambilancns.uitm.edu.myperlis.uitm.edu.myappsmu.ukm.myspp.gov.my

Pay in Malaysia

Government starting pay

RM3,320 – RM3,650

per month

Senior grade

RM6,210 – RM14,370

per month

Official basic pay for the government grade, before allowances. Private-sector pay can differ.

UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA) · Dec 2025

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 educationDoctoral degree

Quick answers

How do you become a Lecturer, Biological Sciences in Malaysia?

SPM → STPM/Matriculation/Foundation/Diploma → Bachelor's in Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology or a related life science → Master's (minimum for a DS11 public-university post) → PhD (strongly preferred; needed for Senior Lecturer and above).

What should I study to become a Lecturer, Biological Sciences?

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

How much does a Lecturer, Biological Sciences earn in Malaysia?

The official pay scale put starting pay at RM3,320 – RM3,650 a month, and RM6,210 – RM14,370 with experience (source: UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA), Dec 2025).

Biotechnology & STEM · Career guide

Lecturer, Biological Sciences

Teaches biological sciences in higher education; some posts also include research.

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?
  • Teach biological-science courses.
  • Guide students' learning and academic work.
  • Conduct research when included in the post's scope.
O*NET — Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary (work overview; US occupation data) ↗
Work settings and skills

Higher-education institutions; the teaching and research balance depends on the appointment.

  • Speaking
  • Learning Strategies
  • Reading Comprehension
O*NET — Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary (work overview; US occupation data) ↗
Study areas and planning after SPM

Biological sciences, with postgraduate qualifications and experience specified by the institution.

Planning example: a biological-science degree → relevant postgraduate training → academic applications. The master's or PhD qualifications and experience required depend on the institution and vacancy.

UPM describes thesis-based master's and PhD study; lecturer recruitment requirements must be checked with the appointing institution.

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

Choose further study according to the area you want to deepen and the post's requirements. Compare coursework and research modes and read the university's admission criteria.

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. 1Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
  2. 2Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as molecular biology, marine biology, and botany.
  3. 3Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, and course materials and methods of instruction.
  4. 4Prepare materials for laboratory activities and course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  5. 5Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  6. 6Supervise students' laboratory work.
  7. 7Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
  8. 8Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
  9. 9Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  10. 10Assist students who need extra help with their coursework outside of class.
  11. 11Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
  12. 12Advise students on academic and vocational curricula and on career issues.
  13. 13Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  14. 14Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  15. 15Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.
  16. 16Select and obtain materials and supplies, such as textbooks and laboratory equipment.
  17. 17Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
  18. 18Provide students course-related experiences, such as field trips, outside the classroom.
  19. 19Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
  20. 20Review papers for publication in journals.
  21. 21Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
  22. 22Maintain or repair lab equipment.
  23. 23Perform administrative duties, such as serving as department head.
  24. 24Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
  25. 25Participate in campus and community events, such as giving presentations to the public.
  26. 26Act as advisers to student organizations.
  27. 27Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.

Also known as

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

  • Lecturer
  • Professor
  • Instructor
  • Botany Teacher
  • Faculty Member
  • Lab Instructor
  • Biology Teacher
  • Ecology Teacher
  • Zoology Teacher
  • Algology Teacher

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

  • English Language88%

    English

  • Mathematics83%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Chemistry82%

    Chemistry

  • Education and Training81%
  • Computers and Electronics75%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

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 publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time spent standingA little

Where this job is heading

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

  • Write letters of recommendation for students.

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.

0.12%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job, and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

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.

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: Biological Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Source: UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA) · as of Dec 2025

Check the salary figures yourself:UiTM academic job advertisement (Pensyarah Universiti DS11/DS13, SSPA)

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