Career Opportunities for Majors in Biomathematics

Introduction

Biomathematics is the application of mathematical principles to biological processes. Biomathematics aims at the mathematical representation, treatment and modeling of biological processes, using a variety of applied mathematical techniques and tools. It has both theoretical and practical applications in biological, biomedical and biotechnology research. The Mathematics Department at Rutgers offers an interdisciplinary major in biomathematics. Today theoretical/mathematical biology is booming; currently it seems to offer lots of promising perspectives and possibilities for mathematicians and theoretically interested biologists. There is an increased need for skilled computational biologists in scientific research and development. Mathematical modeling methods have become increasingly important in all branches of biology. The rapidly developing techniques of molecular biology and genetics produce a large amount of data, which need efficient algorithms to be handled.

Analytical and computational approaches are being utilized as the basis for optimizing the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases, and for analyzing drug efficacy. The wealth of data afforded by new bioinformatics tools and modern molecular biology allow the formulation of precise models, which can then be subject to experimental validation.

You may be surprised to learn of biomathematics job opportunities in such areas as public health where epidemiology and population biology play important roles and where jobs exist at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. However, majority of Biomathematics graduates continue their education in medical and dental schools. Other attend Ph.D. programs in biology, pharmacology and related fields. Doing research may require only a bachelor's degree but advanced positions require graduate study. Research jobs using mathematics or biostatistics can be found in governmental, industrial, or academic settings. Whether you plan to pursue a career in a scientific area or not, it is important to develop your marketability through internships, responsible work experience, good grades and participation in college activities.

A Sample of Related Occupations

Assistant Scientist	Operations Research Analyst	Statistician
Data Analyst	Physician	Systems Analyst
Information Scientist	Psychometrician	Teacher/Professor
Numerical Analyst	Researcher	Technical Writer

Types of Employers

Biomathematical Research Groups	Hospitals/Medical Centers	Pharmaceutical Firms
Biotechnology Firms	Large-scale Sequencing Centers	Research Laboratories
Cancer Research Centers	Manufacturing Firms	Software Development Companies
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention	Medical Biomathematical Institutes	US Army Medical Research & Materiel Command
Colleges & Universities	National Institutes of Health	US Environmental Protection Agency
Computer Firms	National Science Foundation	US Food & Drug Administration
Financial Institutions	NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection

Jobs/Graduate Schools of Rutgers Graduates

Account Manager, Invitrogen	Math Teacher, Cranbury School District
Assistant Professor, Rutgers University (PhD)	Resident, Columbia Medical Center (MD)
Assistant Scientist, Hoffmann-La Roche	Sr. Academic Prgm. Coordinator, Rutgers University (MPH)
Associate Manager, AT&T	Senior Credit Analyst, Guardian Life Insurance
Business Executive, Bank of America	Statistician, Federal Aviation Administration (MS Statistics)
Business Systems Coordinator, Fisher Scientific	Statistician, Thomson Prometric
Data Coordinator, Berlex Labs	Systems Analyst, Merck & Co.
Engineering Officer, U.S. Army, Germany	Veterinarian (DVM)
Graduate students, MIT, NYU, Princeton & Rutgers	Vice President/Risk Manager, JP MorganChase

Additionally, you may:

Explore the career paths of RU Alumni Career Network mentors.
Go to the Rutgers Online Career Planning Site to explore your interests, skills and values. Use the program for either: High School Students | College Students.
Explore Rutgers University academic department information related to this major.
See the Occupational Outlook Handbook for additional career information.
Pick up your "Career Opportunities" handouts at any New Brunswick Career Services office.

Still Have Questions? Ask a Career Counselor.