← Occupation guides

19-1022.00 · Task explorer

Microbiologists: reported tasks and exploration worksheet

Investigate the growth, structure, development, and other characteristics of microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, algae, or fungi. Includes medical microbiologists who study the relationship between organisms and disease or the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.

Use the skill profile to plan your next practice →

Read the task inventory

This source lists 14 tasks, including 13 marked Core and 1 marked Supplemental. Labels and dates are retained below. Employers can combine or divide these responsibilities differently; explore the task itself before assuming it belongs in every version of the role.

Task source dates: 08/2024.

14 tasks shown

Core · Task 15212 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.

Core · Task 3676 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Provide laboratory services for health departments, community environmental health programs, and physicians needing information for diagnosis and treatment.

Core · Task 15213 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Monitor and perform tests on water, food, and the environment to detect harmful microorganisms or to obtain information about sources of pollution, contamination, or infection.

Core · Task 3675 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Examine physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics, using microscope, to identify and classify microorganisms in human, water, and food specimens.

Core · Task 3679 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Supervise biological technologists and technicians and other scientists.

Core · Task 3683 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Use a variety of specialized equipment, such as electron microscopes, gas and high-pressure liquid chromatographs, electrophoresis units, thermocyclers, fluorescence-activated cell sorters, and phosphorimagers.

Core · Task 3678 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Investigate the relationship between organisms and disease, including the control of epidemics and the effects of antibiotics on microorganisms.

Core · Task 3681 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Prepare technical reports and recommendations, based upon research outcomes.

Core · Task 3677 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Observe action of microorganisms upon living tissues of plants, higher animals, and other microorganisms, and on dead organic matter.

Core · Task 3680 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Study growth, structure, development, and general characteristics of bacteria and other microorganisms to understand their relationship to human, plant, and animal health.

Core · Task 3682 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Study the structure and function of human, animal, and plant tissues, cells, pathogens, and toxins.

Core · Task 15214 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Develop new products and procedures for sterilization, food and pharmaceutical supply preservation, or microbial contamination detection.

Core · Task 3684 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Conduct chemical analyses of substances such as acids, alcohols, and enzymes.

Supplemental · Task 3685 · 08/2024 · Occupational Expert

Research use of bacteria and microorganisms to develop vitamins, antibiotics, amino acids, grain alcohol, sugars, and polymers.

Make the shortlist useful

  1. Choose one to three activities that tell you something different about the work. Avoid selecting several ways of describing the same interest.
  2. For each, write an example you can discuss or a question that would change your understanding of the role.
  3. Keep source task IDs with your notes so you can return to the same description. Do not include private employer or customer information.

The exported worksheet distinguishes the reported task from your own notes. It supports exploration, not a hiring decision or a validated assessment.

Keep your worksheet

Download before leaving this page. Unsaved writing remains only in the page and is cleared on refresh. Notes and learning actions are not sent to a server. This guide describes an occupation and supports study planning; it does not provide clinical, legal or equipment-operating procedures.

Source and practice material

Occupational context uses the O*NET® 31.0 Database from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. View the occupation.

Skill Workbench selected and adapted the occupational information and added its own fictional cases, calculations, guidance and worksheets. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these additions. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.