15 places to work with a Biology degree in Nigeria

In this post, we will show you 15 places to work as a Biology degree holder in Nigeria. Biology is a broad field encompassing many branches along the lines of the life sciences. It is a natural science that involves the study of natural phenomena that take place in the natural world.

In simple terms, Biology – from Greek words ‘bios’ meaning life and ‘logos’ meaning study – is the study of living organisms, their origins, evolution, development, structure, and physiology.

As a natural science that deals with the study of living organisms, biology looks at how these organisms evolved from the simple unicellular level of microorganisms of over 3 billion years ago, to the complex multi-cellular organisms in the world today.

It also studies how these organisms interact with their natural environment and other organisms within that environment, as well as how they carry out life-sustaining activities like feeding, respiration, excretion, reproduction, etcetera.

The internal physiological activities of living organisms and the metabolic interactions that go on within the organisms are also studied.

The complex nature of living organisms and the diversity and sheer abundance of their numbers on earth is the major reason biology is such a broad field.

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The broad nature of the field has seen it broken down into a number of different specialized areas, each handling a specific aspect of the scientific study of life and living organisms.

Branches of Biology

Briefly, we’ll highlight some of the major fields biology has been divided into and what each of them study;

Zoology – Zoology is the scientific and systematic study of animals and animal life. It is the branch of biology that deals with the study of animals from cellular to organism level. The study of zoology has helped us understand the organization and diversity of animal life.

Botany – While zoology is the study of animal life, botany is the study of plants and plant life. This includes the origin of plant life, how plants evolved from unicellular level to multi-cellular level, organisation of plant life, structure of plants, physiology of plants, as well as the interaction of plants with their environment. The study of plants is very vital to man, as their activities contribute to his survival on earth.

Biochemistry – Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes and activities that go on within living organisms at both cellular and molecular level, and how these activities affect the growth and development of living organisms.

Microbiology – Microbiology is a branch of biology that deals with the study of microorganisms – organisms that are too small to be viewed with the naked eye – at unicellular, multi-cellular, and acellular level. The organisms microbiology deals with are bacteria, archaea, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and algae. It is further divided into specialized fields like bacteriology, virology, and mycology.

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Evolutionary biology – This deals with how evolution acts as the major driving force and mechanism that influences the origin and creation of living organisms. It looks at how organisms evolved from simple unicellular organisms to complex multi-cellular organisms, and how factors like natural selection and genetics contribute to the process of evolution. Today, evolutionary biology has helped us understand the complexity of living organisms and how this complexity came about.

Human health and medicine – The study of medicine involves the systematic study of the normal physiology/functioning of the human body from cellular to system level, the impairment of this normal physiology through illness and disease, and how to restore and maintain this physiology through systematic scientific practices and methods. Medical science itself is another broad field with various branches of its own. Pharmacy, gynaecology, dentistry, dietetics, embryology, and genetics are some of the popular branches of medical science.

Agriculture – Agriculture deals with the cultivation of crops and the rearing of animals for food and other human benefits. Food is essential for the growth and normal physiological function of man, and agriculture aims to cater for man’s need for food.

Dietetics – It is not enough for man to just eat anything and everything edible. His diet must contain a specific amount of nutrients that enhance his physiological growth and development. This is where the study of dietetics is important. Dietetics is a biological science that deals with the study of man and his dietary/nutritional It involves studying food as it relates to man’s physiological growth and development.

Veterinary medicine – Veterinary medicine has to do with the study of animal health. Like medical study that involves human health, veterinary medicine looks at the normal physiological function of animals, how this physiological function is affected by illness and disease, and how to restore and maintain this normal physiology in the wake of illness and disease.

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Practical skills applied by biologists

Biology is a science, and science is practical and systematic. As such, biologists carry out their duties using practical scientific skills and methods. These skills are very vital during experiments and research. Briefly, we’ll list some practical skills biologists make use of everyday on the job;

• Scientific accuracy and attention to detail
• Research skills
• Analytical skills
• Observation skills
• Presentation skills (both oral and written)
• Critical thinking

Career opportunities and places to work with a biology degree in Nigeria

As earlier stated, biology is a broad field with many branches, each handling a specific aspect of the study of living organisms on earth. As such, graduates in Nigeria with a biology degree have opportunities in several areas ranging from laboratory sciences to medical sciences. Hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, laboratories, Research institutes, conservation and zoological parks, and schools across the nation have numerous job opportunities for biology graduates in the country. Briefly, we’ll list some of the job opportunities available to graduates with a biology degree in Nigeria;

• Medical research scientist
• Pharmacologist
• Biotechnologist
• Microbiologist
• Laboratory assistant
• Secondary school teacher
• University lecturer
• Nanotechnologist
• Zoologist
• Botanist
• Laboratory officer/technician
• Medical sales representative
• Nature conservation officer
• Conservation scientist
• Biomedical scientist

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Conclusion

One thing we’ve emphasized throughout this article is the broadness of biology as a scientific field. It is one of the broadest fields of study in the world today. This is the major reason graduates with a biology degree in Nigeria will find numerous opportunities in several scientific and academic institutes across the country. Hospitals, laboratories, schools, research institutes, and pharmacies are some of the major places where job opportunities can be found for biology graduates. We hope this article has been helpful. Let us know in the comment section.

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