Unit Group (L4) β€’ 2130

2130 β€” Biologist, Botanist, Zoologists And Related Professionals

Browse this Unit Group profile and explore linked occupation titles.

L4 CODE: 2130
2 PROFESSIONALS β†’ 21 Science and Engineering Professionals β†’ 213 Life Science Professionals
Summary
Biologist, Botanist, Zoologists And Related Professionals (KeSCO 2130) supports outcomes in the Science, Engineering & Built Environment sector by applying job-specific knowledge, standards, and tools to deliver quality services or outputs. Duties and complexity vary by employer, work setting, and seniority level, but the occupation generally requires reliability, competence, and continuous learning.
Minimum entry
Diploma or Bachelor’s degree
Future outlook
Future trends such as digital transformation, automation, climate resilience, and changing consumer needs are shaping most occupations. Workers who continuously upskill (digital literacy, quality standards, safety, customer service, and modern tools) are more resilient and competitive.
Sectors
Science, Engineering & Built EnvironmentProfessional ServicesPublic SectorPrivate SectorNGO/DevelopmentSpecialised Practice
Description
Biologist, Botanist, Zoologists And Related Professionals (KeSCO 2130) supports outcomes in the Science, Engineering & Built Environment sector by applying job-specific knowledge, standards, and tools to deliver quality services or outputs. Duties and complexity vary by employer, work setting, and seniority level, but the occupation generally requires reliability, competence, and continuous learning.
Employment prospects
Prospects depend on national and county demand, sector investment, policy priorities, and supply of trained workers. Job seekers improve prospects by gaining practical experience, building a portfolio or track record, earning relevant certifications, and being flexible on location and sub-sector.
Tasks
  • Plan and prioritise daily work activities to meet targets and deadlines
  • Follow workplace procedures, standards, and relevant regulations
  • Carry out core job duties accurately and safely
  • Use job tools/equipment/software correctly and maintain them appropriately
  • Communicate progress, issues, and requirements with supervisors and colleagues
  • Serve clients/customers professionally and resolve routine queries
  • Document work completed, maintain records, and submit routine reports
  • Identify errors, risks, or service gaps and propose improvements
  • Work as part of a team and coordinate tasks across units
  • Maintain confidentiality and ethical conduct where required
  • Comply with occupational safety and health (OSH) guidelines
  • Participate in training, mentoring, or continuous improvement activities
Skills
Communication (verbal and written) | Teamwork and collaboration | Problem-solving and critical thinking | Time management and prioritisation | Attention to detail and accuracy | Customer service orientation | Integrity and ethical conduct | Adaptability and continuous learning | Decision-making and judgement | Documentation and record-keeping | Digital literacy (basic) | Safety awareness and compliance mindset
Core skills
  • Communication (verbal and written)
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Problem-solving and critical thinking
  • Time management and prioritisation
  • Attention to detail and accuracy
  • Customer service orientation
  • Integrity and ethical conduct
  • Adaptability and continuous learning
  • Decision-making and judgement
  • Documentation and record-keeping
  • Digital literacy (basic)
  • Safety awareness and compliance mindset
Technical skills
  • Use of hand and power tools safely
  • Installation, maintenance, and repair procedures
  • Reading drawings/specifications and measurements
  • Troubleshooting and fault diagnosis
  • Quality control and workmanship standards
  • Equipment handling and preventive maintenance
  • Workplace safety and PPE usage
  • Basic electrical/mechanical principles (as relevant)
  • Material handling and storage
  • Site readiness and task planning
  • Compliance with standards and inspections
Transferable skills
  • Leadership and supervision (as one progresses)
  • Negotiation and stakeholder management
  • Conflict resolution
  • Presentation and public speaking
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Planning and organisation
  • Resilience and stress management
  • Service mindset and empathy
  • Networking and relationship building
  • Analytical thinking
  • Professionalism and work discipline
Certifications
  • Trade test / competency certification (where applicable)
  • Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) certification (strongly recommended)
  • Equipment-specific operator certification (where applicable)
  • First Aid certification (recommended in many workplaces)
Education
Specialised degree in the relevant discipline | Graduate internship/attachments where applicable | Professional registration/licensing where regulated | Experience-based progression into senior/specialist roles
Pathways
  • Specialised degree in the relevant discipline
  • Graduate internship/attachments where applicable
  • Professional registration/licensing where regulated
  • Experience-based progression into senior/specialist roles
Relevant courses
  • Diploma/Certificate in Electrical/Electronics Engineering
  • Diploma/Certificate in Mechanical Engineering
  • Civil/Construction Technology
  • Welding and Fabrication
  • Plumbing and Pipefitting
  • Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
  • Automotive Mechanics
  • Plant/Machine Operation
  • Occupational Safety and Health (OSH)
  • CAD/Draughting basics
Institutions
  • Universities (accredited public and private universities offering relevant programmes)
  • National Polytechnics and TVET institutions (diploma, certificate, artisan programmes)
  • Technical Training Institutes and Vocational Centres
  • Professional Colleges and Accredited Training Academies
  • Sector Training Authorities and Recognised Centres of Excellence
  • Employer-based Academies and Apprenticeship Programmes
  • Online Learning Platforms (supplementary; verify recognition for regulated fields)
  • Industry Associations and Professional Bodies (short courses/CPD)
Minimum requirements
  • Minimum education: Diploma or Bachelor’s degree
  • Basic literacy and numeracy (reading, writing, and basic calculations)
  • Good conduct, reliability, and professional behaviour
  • Ability to follow instructions, procedures, and workplace rules
  • Basic digital literacy where the role uses computers/phones
  • Physical/medical fitness where the role is physically demanding or safety-sensitive
  • Regulatory registration/licensing where required (profession-dependent)
  • Background checks/clearance for sensitive roles where applicable
Work context
Workplace policies | Team collaboration | Quality standards | Professional environment | Standards compliance | Reporting
Where they work
  • Public sector institutions, private companies, NGOs and community-based organisations depending on the sector.
Work setting
Not specified.
Schedule
Full-time commonDaytime hours commonDeadlines possible
Employment type
Formal employment possible
Earnings
Entry level
KES 50,000 – 120,000
Mid level
KES 120,000 – 250,000
Senior level
KES 250,000+
Entry-level typical range (illustrative): KES 50,000 – 120,000 | Mid-level typical range (illustrative): KES 120,000 – 250,000 | Senior/experienced typical range (illustrative): KES 250,000+ | Earnings vary by employer (public/private), location, allowances, commissions, overtime, risk factors, and scarcity of skills
How to become one
Complete a degree in the relevant discipline, undertake internships or graduate programmes and meet any professional registration or licensing requirements.
Career progression
  • Entry/Intern β†’ Junior Practitioner β†’ Mid-level β†’ Senior Specialist
  • Senior Specialist β†’ Team Lead/Principal β†’ Manager/Head of Unit (where applicable)
  • Some pathways include consultancy, research, training, or policy roles
Related occupations
  • Other occupations within the same KeSCO major group
  • Support roles in the same sector/industry
  • Supervisory roles related to this occupation’s work area
  • Specialist variants of the same occupation (where they exist)
Occupation titles
2130-32 β€” Anatomist
Anatomist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the form, structure and other anatomical characteristics of living organisms; develops new medical technologies, designs and conduct experiments analyses medical data within their professional field.
2130-37 β€” Animal Scientist
Animal Scientist is responsible for conducts research into and advises on animal husbandry, animal production and develops new or improved animal breeding and production methods providing advice and consultancy services to farmers on animal husbandry practices develops and implementing programs for animal disease control, surveillance and eradication within their professional field.
2130-23 β€” Bacteriologist
Bacteriologist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the structure, development processes and characteristics of micro organisms such as bacteria or viruses analyzing samples from patients with suspected bacterial infections to diagnose the specific type of bacteria causing the illness provides scientific advice on their economic importance within their professional field.
2130-33 β€” Biochemist
Biochemist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the chemical composition of living organisms for application in scientific areas such as medicine, food industry and agriculture designing and building equipment or facilities to use for experiment or research prepares and refine chemical compounds for public or medical use within their professional field.
2130-11 β€” Biologist
Biologist is responsible for undertake research to increase scientific knowledge of living organisms in environment, agriculture and health study characteristics of animals such as their species interaction, diseases and movement patterns analyze the effect of human activity on ecosystems collect biological data and specimens for analysis monitor and manage wildlife populations and invasive plants and animals within their professional field.
2130-15 β€” Botanist
Botanist is responsible for conducts research with the aim of improving or developing concepts, theories, and operational methods in the field of botany; collect and preserving plant species provides advice and expertise to government agencies and organizations within their professional field.
2130-26 β€” Cystologist
Cytologist is responsible for provide analysis in identifying abnormal or cancer cells in human body train trainers on how to use cervical cancer tests including pap test and hpv testing demonstrate the usage of microtomes to prepare slides of body cells from thin slices of tissue and observe and examine using a microscope study cell division into new formation of different cells from their tissue of origin and determine physical and chemical factors that are involved in the cell growth provide analysis in gathering cellular data and endorsing this report to determine the best action to take for the curing of the cancer cells carry out constant research to be up to date within the field and find out any new development of unknown cellular abnormalities within their professional field.
2130-16 β€” Economic Botanist
Economic Botanist is responsible for analyses data on plant production and market trends to develop strategies for improving yields and increasing profitability study plants, their environment, relationships, their traits and processes conducting fieldwork, collecting and testing plants samples and recording observations within their professional field.
2130-18 β€” Entomologist
Entomologist is responsible for studies all aspects of insect life and conducts research to develop practical applications of the knowledge acquired in fields such as agriculture, forestry and medicine developing and implementing pest management strategies monitoring and controlling insect borne diseases within their professional field.
2130-14 β€” Marine Biologist
Marine Biologist is responsible for conduct research, improve and develop concepts, theories and operational methods conduct inventories, testing and monitoring of marine life exposed to pollutants; collect and analyze samples, and develop new theories based on this research within their professional field.
2130-35 β€” Medical Pathologist
Medical Pathologist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the nature, causes and development of human diseases and disorders conducts postmortems; looks for abnormalities in samples that evidence disease and convey the information to relevant medical practitioner within their professional field.
2130-22 β€” Micro-Bacteriologist
Micro-Bacteriologist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the structure, development processes and characteristics of micro organisms such as bacteria or viruses provides scientific advice on their economic importance develops vaccine and treatment within their professional field.
2130-24 β€” Micro-biologist
Micro-biologist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the structure, development processes and characteristics of micro organisms such as bacteria or viruses perform laboratory analysis on all materials after appropriate sterilization studies various cultures of microorganisms in isolations according standard inhibition and ensure control over moisture and temperature within their professional field.
2130-27 β€” Mycologist
Mycologist is responsible for undertaking research in laboratories and in the field to increase scientific knowledge of living organisms studies the mechanisms of life processes of edible, poisonous and parasitic fungi to discover if they are useful in medicine, agriculture of industry to discover new information to test hypotheses to solve problems within their professional field.
2130-12 β€” Naturalist
Naturalist is responsible for conducting wildlife survey, monitoring and tracking animal populations preserve, restore, maintain, promotes and protect natural habitats within their professional field.
2130-28 β€” Parasitologist
Parasitologist is responsible for isolate and maintain cultures of parasites in prescribed or developed media, controlling moisture, aeration, temperature and nutrition study growth, structure, development and general characteristics of parasites to understand their relationship to human, plant and animal life examine physiological, morphological and cultural characteristics using microscopes and other laboratory tools maintain and calibrate microscopes and other laboratory equipment used in the study of parasites within their professional field.
2130-31 β€” Pharmacologist
Pharmacologist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the effects of drugs and other substances on the tissues, organs and physiological processes of human beings and animals; studies the effects of new or modifies medicines and recoding the reactions that take place improves on existing knowledge and develops new drugs provides scientific advice within their professional field.
2130-34 β€” Physiologist
Physiologist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the life processes and functions of human, animal, insect or plant organs, tissues, cells, glands and systems under normal and abnormal or exceptional conditions for application in such areas as human and veterinary medicine; conducting research to understand how the human body functions under various conditions diagnose and treating medical conditions related to physiological dysfunctions within their professional field.
2130-38 β€” Plant Pathologist
Plant Pathologist is responsible for organizes the scouting schedule for early detection of pests/diseases before threshold is reached; performs diagnostic pathological tests analysis of water, plant, and media samples; participates in developing crop protection programs to prevent pests and diseases build up performs routine laboratory tests on plant and seed samples within their professional field.
2130-41 β€” Plant physiologist
Plant physiologist is responsible for investigate how environmental factors affect plant growth, development, and yield study the effects of light, temperature, water, minerals, and other agents on plant growth develop new methods to improve plant growth or resistance to pests and diseases select plant species plan and conduct field experiments to study the effects of various treatments on plant growth within their professional field.
2130-21 β€” Research Officer (Biology)
Research Officer (Biology) is responsible for conducts research and carries out field and laboratory experiments concerning aspects of life forms; prepares scientific papers and reports; collect samples, taking measurements, photographing or sketching organisms and obtaining other information that may lead to discoveries about organisms and ecosystems observing organisms to learn more about their diets, behavior and impact on their surroundings within their professional field.
2130-13 β€” Taxonomist
Taxonomist is responsible for conducts research in all forms of life to increase scientific knowledge and develops practical applications in their areas of specialization name and classify plants, animals and natural elements; they identify and name new species and diseases within their professional field.
2130-36 β€” Veterinary Pathologist
Veterinary Pathologist is responsible for studies and conducts experiments concerning the nature, causes and development of animal diseases and disorders conducts postmortems within their professional field.
2130-25 β€” Virologist
Virologist is responsible for study viral microscopic organisms that cause diseases; determining how viral diseases like hiv, sars, and hepatitis spread through populations; assisting in vaccine development within their professional field.
2130-17 β€” Zoologist
Zoologist is responsible for conducts research and improves in the field of zoology protects endangered or threatened species and their habitats monitor populations develops conservations plans within their professional field.