The term "biotechnology" was coined in 1919 as a way to describe the use of living organisms for making products. The earliest biotechnology companies were founded in the late 1970's after scientists discovered that restriction enzymes and ligases could be used for DNA cloning. Today's biotech industry includes companies that work in many different areas–from therapeutics to food and consumer products.
Biotechnology jobs generally fit into one or more of the broader areas listed on this page. Click any of the job areas below to learn about the types of jobs that might be found in that area.
