How to hire biochemists and biophysicists
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers. • Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. • Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes. • Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work. • Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences. • Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology. • Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research. • Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Doctoral or professional degree] • Strong science, reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, active learning and active listening skills • Working knowledge of biology, chemistry, English Language and mathematics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $61.26 an hour ($127,410 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for biochemists and biophysicists
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you used scientific or technical knowledge to solve a work problem.
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What biochemists and biophysicists do
- Design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers.
- Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules.
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for biochemists and biophysicists
- Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree (BLS)
- Job outlook: +12.3% over ten years, much faster than average · about 2,900 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay biochemists and biophysicists
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $139,580 |
| Pennsylvania | $134,090 |
| Connecticut | $132,670 |
| Massachusetts | $131,600 |
| New Jersey | $122,620 |
See biochemists and biophysicists pay in every state
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 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. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.