A Career in Microbiology
Microbiologists work in almost every possible industry with a range of different employment opportunities, including human health care and veterinary sciences, agriculture sectors, manufacturing of food, beverages, pharmaceutical and medicinal prodcuts, industrial microbiology and biotechnology, public health, forensic sciences, environmental sectors such as water treatment and purification, as well as govermental and private research agencies and education institutions. A microbiologist's tasks could be diverse and include basic research, process development, production, technical services, quality control, compliance control or technical sales. If you are the kind of person who likes variety in work responsibilities and enjoys solving problems and making things work, you should seriously consider a career in this area.
When choosing a career in microbiology or biotechnology, you should be prepared to embrace a multidisciplinary scienctific approach. Very rarely will challenges be limited to just one specific area, but will often require a range of skills and expertise in additional fields such as molecular biology, biochemistry, chemistry, immunology and biostatistics.
The South African Society for Microbiology (SASM) supports microbiologists and you can gain useful information from this organization. They aim to contribute to local microbiological sciences. This non-profit professional association consists of microbiologists who work in a range of different settings. To become a member of SASM you will need to meet the minimum requirements of a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology. An equivalent tertiary education or a degree in a related field is also accepted. Student membership options are also available.