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Research and the lab

Biochemist

Studies the chemistry of life: the proteins, fats, sugars and nucleic acids in cells and the reactions that keep them working.

Biochemists work in universities, drug and biotech companies, hospital labs and food or agricultural research. It suits people who enjoy chemistry and biology equally and like careful, step-by-step lab work.

Also called Clinical biochemist, Protein scientist or Analytical biochemist.

At a glance

Way in
Bachelor's degree, often in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry and biomedical science
Pay in the US
$127,410 a year, the medianFor biochemists and biophysicists, 2025
Pay in the UK
£28,000 starting to £53,000 with experience
US outlook
Much faster than average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You like chemistry and biology equally and enjoy precise lab work.

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a biochemist do?

  • Plan and run experiments on proteins, enzymes, DNA and other molecules from cells.
  • Purify and measure molecules using chromatography, electrophoresis and spectrometry.
  • Test how drugs, hormones or nutrients change the chemistry of cells and tissues.
  • Analyse results, often with software or computer models, and check them against controls.
  • Write papers and reports and present findings to colleagues and at conferences.

Where they work

  • University research labs
  • Pharmaceutical and biotech companies
  • Hospital laboratories
  • Government research institutes
  • Food and agricultural research

Skills

The skills a biochemist needs

  • Lab techniquepipetting, assays, buffers and sterile work
  • Analytical methodschromatography, mass spectrometry and spectrophotometry
  • Data analysisstatistics, graphing and scientific software
  • Chemistryreaction kinetics, thermodynamics and molecular structure
  • Problem solvingworking out why an experiment failed
  • Communicationwriting reports and presenting results

Route in

How to become a biochemist

  1. Take chemistry and biology at school, with maths if you can.
  2. Complete a degree in biochemistry or a close subject, ideally with a lab placement year.
  3. Start as a research assistant or lab scientist, or in the UK join the NHS Scientist Training Programme to become a clinical biochemist.
  4. Take a PhD if you want to lead your own research, then build a record through postdoctoral work.

Degrees people take

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular biology
  • Chemistry
  • Biomedical science

In the US, most biochemist posts ask for a PhD; in the UK, a degree gets you started, though some jobs need a master's or PhD.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

Also on biofideX

Next to it

Careers to weigh against it

Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

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