Animal Scientists

Career Description: Conduct research in the genetics, nutrition, reproduction, growth, and development of domestic farm animals.

Industry: Life, Physical, and Social Science

Other Job Titles for Animal Scientists:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Conduct research concerning animal nutrition, breeding, or management to improve products or processes.
• Advise producers about improved products and techniques that could enhance their animal production efforts.
• Study nutritional requirements of animals and nutritive values of animal feed materials.
• Study effects of management practices, processing methods, feed, or environmental conditions on quality and quantity of animal products, such as eggs and milk.
• Develop improved practices in feeding, housing, sanitation, or parasite and disease control of animals.
• Research and control animal selection and breeding practices to increase production efficiency and improve animal quality.
• Determine genetic composition of animal populations and heritability of traits, utilizing principles of genetics.
• Crossbreed animals with existing strains or cross strains to obtain new combinations of desirable characteristics.
• Communicate research findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public.
• Supervise pest or weed control operations including locating and identifying pests or weeds, selecting chemicals and application methods, scheduling application, and training operators.
• Measure and mark plot areas, and plow, disc, level, and otherwise prepare land for cultivated crops, orchards and vineyards.
• Conduct insect and plant disease surveys.
• Examine animals and specimens to determine the presence of diseases or other problems.
• Perform general nursery duties such as propagating standard varieties of plant materials, collecting and germinating seeds, maintaining cuttings of plants, and controlling environmental conditions.
• Operate farm machinery including tractors, plows, mowers, combines, balers, sprayers, earthmoving equipment, and trucks.
• Perform crop production duties such as tilling, hoeing, pruning, weeding, and harvesting crops.
• Devise cultural methods and environmental controls for plants for which guidelines are sketchy or nonexistent.
• Maintain and repair agricultural facilities, equipment, and tools to ensure operational readiness, safety, and cleanliness.
• Provide routine animal care such as taking and recording body measurements, applying identification, and assisting in the birthing process.
• Set up laboratory or field equipment, and prepare sites for testing.
• Transplant trees, vegetables, or horticultural plants.
• Supervise and train agricultural technicians and farm laborers.
• Prepare and present agricultural demonstrations.
• Respond to inquiries and requests from the public that do not require specialized scientific knowledge or expertise.

Emerging Tasks

• Write-up or orally communicate research findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• adhere to safety procedures
• advise clients or customers
• advise governmental or industrial personnel
• analyze biological research, test, or analysis data
• analyze organizational operating practices or procedures
• analyze scientific research data or investigative findings
• artificially inseminate livestock
• breed animals to propagate stock or to develop new types
• classify plants, animals, or other natural phenomena
• collect scientific or technical data
• collect statistical data
• communicate technical information
• conduct analyses or tests of organic compounds
• conduct field research or investigative studies
• conduct laboratory research or experiments
• conduct standardized qualitative laboratory analyses
• conduct standardized quantitative laboratory analyses
• confer with engineering, technical or manufacturing personnel
• confer with research personnel
• confer with scientists
• develop new products based on scientific research results
• develop or maintain databases
• develop plans for programs or projects
• develop policies, procedures, methods, or standards
• develop scientific or mathematical hypotheses, theories, or laws
• develop tables depicting data
• direct and coordinate scientific research or investigative studies
• direct implementation of new procedures, policies, or programs
• examine biological or other material specimens under microscope
• explain complex mathematical information
• explain genetic data
• follow infectious materials procedures
• follow microbiology procedures
• follow nutritional practices
• identify animal species
• identify livestock characteristics
• identify nutritional value of foods
• make decisions
• make presentations
• monitor animal health or quality
• perform statistical analysis
• plan scientific research or investigative studies
• prepare reports
• prepare technical reports or related documentation
• recognize disease or parasites in animals
• recommend further study or action based on research data
• recommend improvements to work methods or procedures
• record test results, test procedures, or inspection data
• research human or animal disease
• resolve animal breeding problems
• resolve engineering or science problems
• select animals to be bred
• study development of plants, animals, or microscopic organisms
• understand animal habits or needs
• use animal disease control techniques
• use biological research techniques
• use biological testing instruments
• use chemical testing or analysis procedures
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve data
• use knowledge of investigation techniques
• use knowledge of vivisection
• use laboratory equipment
• use library or online Internet research techniques
• use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
• use microscope
• use nutrition research techniques
• use quantitative research methods
• use relational database software
• use scientific research methodology
• use spreadsheet software
• use word processing or desktop publishing software
• write business project or bid proposals
• write research or project grant proposals
• write scholarly or technical research papers

Overall Experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Job Training
Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education
A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Examples
These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include librarians, lawyers, aerospace engineers, physicists, school psychologists, and surgeons.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$23.25
• Average annual wage (2007) - $48,360.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 9.85%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 529
• Employment (2006): 5,371

• Agricultural Technicians
• Animal Breeders
• Biologists
• Dietitians and Nutritionists
• First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Aquacultural Workers
• Soil and Plant Scientists