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Animal Scientists

It's a bright outlook for

This career will grow rapidly in the next few years.

Learn more about what they do.

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

Related: Biochemists & Biophysicists Food Scientists & Technologists Microbiologists Soil & Plant Scientists Veterinarians

Industries: Education Professional, Science, & Technical Farming, Forestry, Fishing, & Hunting

Summary
Details

Conduct research concerning animal nutrition, breeding, or management to improve products or processes.
Crossbreed animals with existing strains or cross strains to obtain new combinations of desirable characteristics.
Research and control animal selection and breeding practices to increase production efficiency and improve animal quality.
Advise producers about improved products and techniques that could enhance their animal production efforts.
Study effects of management practices, processing methods, feed, or environmental conditions on quality and quantity of animal products, such as eggs and milk.
Write up or orally communicate research findings to the scientific community, producers, and the public.
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.
Determine genetic composition of animal populations and heritability of traits, using principles of genetics.
Develop improved practices in feeding, housing, sanitation, or parasite and disease control of animals.

Operations Analysis
- Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
Programming
- Writing computer programs.
Mathematics
- Using math to solve problems.
Troubleshooting
- Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
Quality Control Analysis
- Testing how well a product or service works.
Management of Financial Resources
- Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
Monitoring
- Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
Instructing
- Teaching people how to do something.
Reading Comprehension
- Reading work-related information.
Active Learning
- Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
Equipment Maintenance
- Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
Systems Analysis
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Systems Evaluation
- Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
Negotiation
- Bringing people together to solve differences.
Technology Design
- Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
Operation and Control
- Using equipment or systems.
Service Orientation
- Looking for ways to help people.
Complex Problem Solving
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Critical Thinking
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
Management of Material Resources
- Managing equipment and materials.
Persuasion
- Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
Equipment Selection
- Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
Active Listening
- Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
Judgment and Decision Making
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
Social Perceptiveness
- Understanding people's reactions.
Installation
- Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
Coordination
- Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
Science
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
Writing
- Writing things for co-workers or customers.
Learning Strategies
- Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
Speaking
- Talking to others.
Management of Personnel Resources
- Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
Time Management
- Managing your time and the time of other people.

Information Ordering
- Ordering or arranging things.
Problem Sensitivity
- Noticing when problems happen.
Oral Expression
- Communicating by speaking.
Glare Sensitivity
- Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
Rate Control
- Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
Reaction Time
- Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
Static Strength
- Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
Peripheral Vision
- Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
Dynamic Strength
- Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
Night Vision
- Seeing at night or under low light.
Oral Comprehension
- Listening and understanding what people say.
Visualization
- Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
Fluency of Ideas
- Coming up with lots of ideas.
Memorization
- Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
Gross Body Coordination
- Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
Visual Color Discrimination
- Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
Hearing Sensitivity
- Telling the difference between sounds.
Perceptual Speed
- Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
Written Expression
- Communicating by writing.
Category Flexibility
- Grouping things in different ways.
Speed of Limb Movement
- Quickly moving your arms and legs.
Depth Perception
- Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
Dynamic Flexibility
- Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Gross Body Equilibrium
- Keeping your balance or staying upright.
Auditory Attention
- Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
Speed of Closure
- Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
Deductive Reasoning
- Using rules to solve problems.
Written Comprehension
- Reading and understanding what is written.
Control Precision
- Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
Multilimb Coordination
- Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
Response Orientation
- Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
Wrist-Finger Speed
- Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
Explosive Strength
- Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
Near Vision
- Seeing details up close.
Far Vision
- Seeing details that are far away.
Sound Localization
- Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
Finger Dexterity
- Putting together small parts with your fingers.
Stamina
- Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
Extent Flexibility
- Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Keeping your arm or hand steady.
Trunk Strength
- Using your lower back and stomach.
Time Sharing
- Doing two or more things at the same time.
Mathematical Reasoning
- Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
Number Facility
- Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
Inductive Reasoning
- Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
Speech Recognition
- Recognizing spoken words.
Speech Clarity
- Speaking clearly.
Flexibility of Closure
- Seeing hidden patterns.
Manual Dexterity
- Holding or moving items with your hands.
Spatial Orientation
- Knowing where things are around you.
Selective Attention
- Paying attention to something without being distracted.
Originality
- Creating new and original ideas.

Food Production
- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Telecommunications
- Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
Therapy and Counseling
- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
Building and Construction
- Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Administrative
- Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Chemistry
- Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Psychology
- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Fine Arts
- Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
Sales and Marketing
- Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Physics
- Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Law and Government
- Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Medicine and Dentistry
- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Economics and Accounting
- Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
Geography
- Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
Philosophy and Theology
- Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
Sociology and Anthropology
- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
Biology
- Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
Transportation
- Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
History and Archeology
- Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Personnel and Human Resources
- Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
Education and Training
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Communications and Media
- Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Public Safety and Security
- Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Foreign Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Work Experience

No work experience

Training

No on-the-job training

Education and Training Opportunities

Washington Annual Salary

78660/yr

Washington Hourly Wage

37.82/hr

Currently Employed

Yearly Projected Openings

Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:

Analytical Thinking
Integrity
Dependability
Attention to Detail
Initiative
Achievement/Effort

Analytical balances
Animal husbandry equipment
Animal weighing scales
Atomic absorption AA spectrometers
Benchtop centrifuges
Binocular light compound microscopes
Blood collection syringes
Calorimeters
Chopping machinery
Circulating baths
Commercial use food grinders
Conductivity meters
Densitometers
Deoxyribonucleic sequence analyzers
Desktop computers
Dropping pipettes
Dry wall single chamber carbon dioxide incubators
Drying cabinets or ovens
Electrophoresis system accessories
Feed mixers
Freeze dryers or lyopholizers
Fume hoods or cupboards
Gas burners
Gas chromatographs
Gel documentation systems
Gel dryers
Handheld thermometer
Hematology analyzers
High pressure liquid chromatograph chromatography
Histology sampling and dissecting stations
Homogenizers
Hybridization ovens or incubators
Hydrometers
Immersion circulators
Incubators or brooders for poultry
Infrared spectrometers
Laboratory balances
Laboratory beakers
Laboratory flasks
Laboratory graduated cylinders
Laboratory vacuum pumps
Laminar flow cabinets or stations
Liquid scintillation counters
Medical ultrasound or doppler or echocardiograph probes
Microcentrifuges
Microscope slides
Notebook computers
Orbital shaking water baths
Oxygen sensors
Personal computers
Petri plates or dishes
Photo attachments for microscopes
Rapid amplification or complementary deoxyribonucleic acid ends RACE technology products
Reactors or fermenters or digesters
Refrigerated benchtop centrifuges
Restraints
Scientific calculator
Specimen collection container
Spectrophotometers
Steam autoclaves or sterilizers
Stirring hotplates
Stunner
Tissue culture incubators
Triple beam balances
Ultracentrifuges
Vacuum blood collection tubes or containers
Vacuum ovens
Veterinary castration instruments
Veterinary injection or suction unit
Water baths