Research Biologist

The employment outlook will be Limited for biologists and related scientists (NOC 21110) in Alberta for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Here are some key facts about biologists and related scientists in Alberta:

• Approximately 4,700 people work in this occupation.
• Biologists and related scientists mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 27%
  • Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 15%
  • Universities (NAICS 6113): 9%
  • Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 8%
  • Provincial and territorial public administration (NAICS 912): 8%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 92% compared to 80% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 8% compared to 20% for all occupations
• 75% of biologists and related scientists work all year, while 25% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• 10% of biologists and related scientists are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 45% compared to 53% for all occupations
  • Women: 55% compared to 47% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 43% compared to 21% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 52% compared to 9% for all occupations