Geneticists
On the Job
Geneticists research and study how traits are inherited. They design genetic experiments and publish research studies. They may also treat patients with genetic disorders.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Research diseases or parasites.
- Research genetic characteristics or expression.
- Analyze biological samples.
- Interpret research or operational data.
- Attend conferences or workshops to maintain professional knowledge.
- Prepare proposal documents or grant applications.
- Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- Record research or operational data.
- Review professional literature to maintain professional knowledge.
- Collaborate on research activities with scientists or technical specialists.
Typical Working Conditions
- Using e-mail.
- Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Working with a group or team.
- Sitting.
- Meeting strict deadlines.

This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.