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OSCA occupation
244635

244635 Microbiologist

Studies the growth and characteristics of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi and protozoa, and the effect they might have on plants, animals and the environment.

Major group
2 Professionals
Unit group
2446 Life Scientists
Edition
OSCA 2024
Skill level
Level 1

Should you use OSCA or ANZSCO?

OSCA 2024 is the current Australian occupation classification for storing, organising and reporting occupation information. Use this OSCA record for current Australian statistical and analytical classification work.

Some migration and administrative programs still specify ANZSCO 2022. Check the exact system named by the agency or form rather than replacing the code automatically.

Check the current ABS guidance on OSCA and ANZSCO use

Official ANZSCO correspondence

Role overview

Studies the growth and characteristics of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi and protozoa, and the effect they might have on plants, animals and the environment.

Use this page to confirm the official title, the parent unit group, the task list and the related ANZSIC industry context before using the occupation in classification, reporting or migration-adjacent workflows.

Occupation facts

Skill level
1
Major group
2 Professionals
Sub-major group
24 Design, Engineering and Science Professionals
Minor group
244 Natural and Physical Science Professionals
Unit group
2446 Life Scientists

Tasks

  • Studies microorganisms in a range of environments to learn about their behaviour
  • Studies, identifies and monitors physiological and morphological characteristics of microorganisms
  • Develops and improves methods to prevent the spread of disease
  • Studies, analyses and grows microbe cultures for use in the food and drink or agriculture industries
  • Tests and analyses food, drink and related manufacturing processes to identify contamination
  • Establishes process and safety standards for the processing of food to prevent spoilage and illness

Skill level guidance

Skill level helps place the occupation inside the ABS hierarchy. Use it as a classification cue, then check the actual task list and occupational context before making a decision for HR, visa or reporting work.

How to use this occupation page

Start with the official OSCA title and task list. Then confirm the parent unit group and compare the related occupations on this page if the job title is broad, overlapping or used differently across employers.

The ANZSIC links are there to help when the same occupation appears across several industries and you need the business-side classification as well.

Compare before choosing

Compare OSCA 244635 with related occupations

Compare roles in the same OSCA unit group by their official definition, skill level, tasks and recognised alternative titles.

Comparison pointCurrent code244635 Microbiologist244631 Biotechnologist244632 Botanist
Official role definitionStudies the growth and characteristics of microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi and protozoa, and the effect they might have on plants, animals and the environment.Studies the anatomy, physiology, genetics and characteristics of living organisms and isolated biological molecules to improve or develop new products and processes in a wide range of industries, including agriculture, food production and medicine.Studies the anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and ecology of plants.
Skill levelSkill Level 1Skill Level 1Skill Level 1
Key tasks
  • Studies microorganisms in a range of environments to learn about their behaviour
  • Studies, identifies and monitors physiological and morphological characteristics of microorganisms
  • Develops and improves methods to prevent the spread of disease
  • Studies, analyses and grows microbe cultures for use in the food and drink or agriculture industries
  • Studies, analyses and manipulates genes to develop new drugs
  • Analyses and models large datasets of molecular and genomic sequences to identify patterns
  • Researches, develops and creates new products in biotechnology
  • Identifies and improves industrial use of genetic attributes of cells and organisms
  • Studies and researches the life cycle of plants
  • Identifies, classifies and records plant species
  • Identifies and studies diseases and disorders of plants
  • Studies, researches and assesses the effect of environmental factors on plant growth and distribution

Comparison uses occupation definitions, skill levels, tasks and title variants from the ABS OSCA data files.

Official source

Official source
ABS OSCA 2024 release and correspondence tables
Last reviewed
2026-04-17

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