Activities	Research or study physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena.
Outlook	Faster-than-average-job growth
Median Income	$76,320 in May 2006
Work Context & Conditions	Biophysicists usually work regular hours in offices or laboratories. Their work is exacting and detail-oriented, and it's very important that they complete each task they start. Those who work with dangerous organisms or toxic substances in the laboratory must follow strict safety procedures to avoid contamination. Some biophysicists depend on grant money to support their research. They may be under pressure to meet deadlines and to conform to rigid grant-writing specifications when preparing proposals to seek new or extended funding.
Minimum Education Requirements	Master's Degree
Skills	Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Writing, Equipment Selection, Mathematics, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Science
Abilities	Memorization, Category Flexibility, Deductive Reasoning, Problem Sensitivity, Flexibility of Closure, Written Comprehension, Near Vision, Mathematical Reasoning, Information Ordering, Inductive Reasoning
Interviews	Peter Bandettini

Job Category		Life, Physical, & Social Science
Job Description		Biophysicists study fundamental physical principles that are essential to understanding life processes and use quantitative methodologies in advancing biomedical research and healthcare. They study physical principles of living cells and organisms and their electrical and mechanical energy, research how characteristics of plants and animals are carried through successive generations, research the transformation of substances in cells, and investigate damage to cells and tissues caused by X-rays and nuclear particles. Biophysicists also study the spatial configuration of submicroscopic molecules, such as proteins, using X-rays and electron microscopes. They investigate the transmission of electrical impulses along nerves and muscles, the dynamics of seeing and hearing, and functions of electronic and human brains, such as learning, thinking, and memory. The Biophysical Society lists the following areas in biophysics: Bioenergetics; Biophysical Theory and Modeling; Cell Biophysics; Channels, Receptors, and Transporters; Electrophysiology; Membranes; Muscle and Contractility; Nucleic Acids; Photobiophysics; Proteins; Spectroscopy, Imaging, and Other Techniques; and Supramolecular Assemblies.
Working Conditions		Biologists usually work regular hours in offices or laboratories. Their work is exacting and detail-oriented, and it's very important that they complete each task they start. They are usually not exposed to unsafe or unhealthy conditions. Those who work with dangerous organisms or toxic substances in the laboratory must follow strict safety procedures to avoid contamination. Some biological and medical scientists depend on grant money to support their research. They may be under pressure to meet deadlines and conform to rigid grant-writing specifications when preparing proposals to seek new or extended funding.
Salary Range		Median annual earnings of biochemists and biophysicists were $76,320 in 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $53,390 and $100,060. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $40,820, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $129,510. Median annual earnings of biochemists and biophysicists employed in scientific research and development services were $79,990 in 2006. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, beginning salary offers in 2007 averaged $34,953 a year for bachelor’s degree recipients in biological and life sciences.

Education Required		A Ph.D. degree is usually necessary for independent research and for advancement to administrative positions. A master's degree is sufficient for some jobs in applied research or product development.
Recommended High School Courses		Biology, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics
Postsecondary Instructional Programs		Education and Training, Physics, Engineering and Technology, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine and Dentistry
Certification and Licensing		None

Interest Area		Investigative Involves working with ideas and requires an extensive amount of thinking.
Work Values		Social Status Looked up to by others in their company and their community. Achievement Get a feeling of accomplishment. Moral Values Never pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong. Creativity Try out your own ideas. Independence Work alone. Security Have steady employment. Ability Utilization Make use of individual abilities. Working Conditions Good working conditions. Autonomy Plan work with little supervision. Responsibility Make decisions on your own.
Skills		Monitoring Assess how well someone is doing when learning or doing something. Critical Thinking Use logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches. Active Listening Listen to what other people are saying and ask questions as appropriate. Writing Communicate effectively with others in writing as indicated by the needs of the audience. Equipment Selection Determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job. Mathematics Use math to solve problems. Complex Problem Solving Solving novel, ill-defined problems in complex, real-world settings. Reading Comprehension Understand written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. Science Use scientific methods to solve problems.
Abilities		Memorization Remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures. Category Flexibility Generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. Deductive Reasoning Able to apply general rules to specific problems to come up with logical answers, including deciding whether an answer makes sense. Problem Sensitivity Able to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. This doesn't involve solving the problem, just recognizing that there is a problem. Flexibility of Closure Identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material. Written Comprehension Able to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Near Vision Able to see details of objects at a close range (within a few feet of the observer). Mathematical Reasoning Able to understand and organize mathematical problems and to know which mathematical methods or formulas to use to solve them. Information Ordering Able to correctly follow rules for arranging things or actions in a certain order, including numbers, words, pictures, procedures, and logical operations. Inductive Reasoning Able to combine separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. This includes coming up with a logical explanation for why seemingly unrelated events occur together.

Related Jobs		Biologist, Biologist, Environmental Health Scientist, Technician, Biological, Scientist, Medical
Job Outlook		Employment of biological scientists is projected to grow 9 percent over the 2006-16 decade, about as fast as the average for all occupations, as biotechnological research and development continues to drive job growth. The Federal Government funds much basic research and development, including many areas of medical research that relate to biological science. Recent budget increases at the National Institutes of Health have led to large increases in Federal basic research and development expenditures, with research grants growing both in number and dollar amount. Nevertheless, the increase in expenditures has slowed substantially and is not expected to match its past growth over the 2006-16 projection period. This may result in a highly competitive environment for winning and renewing research grants. People with bachelor’s and master’s degrees are expected to have more opportunities in nonscientist jobs related to biology. The number of science-related jobs in sales, marketing, and research management is expected to exceed the number of independent research positions. Non-Ph.D.s also may fill positions as science or engineering technicians or as medical health technologists and technicians. Some become high school biology teachers. Biological scientists are less likely to lose their jobs during recessions than are those in many other occupations because many are employed on long-term research projects. However, an economic downturn could influence the amount of money allocated to new research and development efforts, particularly in areas of risky or innovative research. An economic downturn also could limit the possibility of extension or renewal of existing projects.
More Information		American Physiological Society, Education Office, American Institute of Biological Sciences, The Protein Society
References		Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Biological Scientists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos047.htm Biophysical Society, on the Internet at http://www.biophysics.org/ O*NET OnLine, on the Internet at http://online.onetcenter.org/link/summary/19-1021.02