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Biologist resume skills and keywords

In 36 Biologist job postings from 24 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Communication (67 %), Leadership (28 %), Interpretation (28 %), Environmental Science (25 %) and Attention to detail (25 %). Of the top 40 skills, 31 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 9 are soft skills.

Download the full list as a CSV or check your own resume against a posting with the free keyword scanner.

Top 40 skills in Biologist job postings

Skills requested in 36 Biologist job postings, by share of postings
SkillShare of postingsType
Communication67 %Soft skill
Leadership28 %Soft skill
Interpretation28 %Hard skill
Environmental Science25 %Hard skill
Attention to detail25 %Soft skill
Data Analysis25 %Hard skill
Molecular Biology22 %Hard skill
Driver license22 %Certification
Interpersonal skills19 %Soft skill
Permitting19 %Hard skill
Flexibility19 %Soft skill
Preservation17 %Hard skill
Extractions14 %Hard skill
Decision making14 %Soft skill
Microsoft Office14 %Tool
Stocking14 %Hard skill
Composition14 %Hard skill
Public Relations14 %Hard skill
Resource Management11 %Hard skill
Microbiology11 %Hard skill
Technical writing11 %Hard skill
ArcGIS11 %Tool
Organizational skills11 %Soft skill
Biochemistry11 %Hard skill
Mentoring11 %Soft skill
Research and Development11 %Hard skill
Equipment Maintenance11 %Hard skill
Customer Experience11 %Hard skill
Security clearance11 %Certification
Standard operating procedures11 %Hard skill
Quality control8 %Hard skill
Site Assessment8 %Hard skill
GIS8 %Hard skill
Data Science8 %Hard skill
Program management8 %Hard skill
Mass spectrometry8 %Hard skill
Regulatory compliance8 %Hard skill
Collaboration8 %Soft skill
Environmental Compliance8 %Hard skill
Troubleshooting8 %Hard skill

Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications

Hard skills (27)

Soft skills (9)

Tools and software (2)

Certifications and licenses (2)

Keyword phrases recruiters use

Multi-word phrases that recur across these biologist postings, with the share of postings that use each one.

natural resource 47 %technical reports 31 %habitat assessments 25 %wildlife management 25 %wildlife surveys 22 %analyze data 22 %u.s citizenship 22 %biological sciences 19 %endangered specy 19 %habitat management 19 %closing date 19 %primary duty 17 %specy survey 17 %prepare data 17 %management activity 17 %

How to use this on your resume

Treat the table as a checklist, not a script. Put the skills you genuinely have in your skills section, using the same wording as the posting, and back the top ones with a bullet that shows the result.

Each job posting differs from the average, so compare your resume with the actual ad: paste it into the resume keyword scanner to see which terms you already have and which are missing. The ATS keywords guide explains where to place them so applicant tracking systems read them.

Skip any skill you cannot talk about in an interview; a keyword that falls apart under one question costs more than it gains. For a full layout with these skills in context, see the Biologist resume example. Then prepare for the Biologist interview questions that test them.

Build a biologist resume with these skills

Start in the editor, tailor your bullets to the job you want and download an ATS-friendly resume.

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Biologist resume skills: FAQ

Which skills matter most for a Biologist resume?

In 36 Biologist job postings analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills were Communication (67 %), Leadership (28 %), Interpretation (28 %), Environmental Science (25 %) and Attention to detail (25 %). Lead your skills section with the ones you can back up, and show them in your experience bullets too.

Should I list soft skills on a Biologist resume?

Yes, but prove them rather than list them. 9 of the top 40 skills in these postings are soft skills, led by Communication (67 % of postings). Show them through results in your bullets, for example a project you coordinated or a process you explained.

Which tools and certifications do Biologist postings ask for?

The tools and certifications named most often were Driver license (22 %), Microsoft Office (14 %), ArcGIS (11 %) and Security clearance (11 %). List the ones you have exactly as the posting writes them.

Where does this data come from?

From 36 public Biologist job postings at 24 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from Greenhouse (6), Lever (2), Ashby (2) and other public job postings (26). A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 36. The data is updated quarterly and can be downloaded as a CSV.

Method and data

Source: 36 public job postings for biologist roles (titles such as Biologist, Molecular Biologist, Senior Biologist and Molecular Biologist I) at 24 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from employer applicant tracking system job boards and the open web: Greenhouse 6, Lever 2, Ashby 2 and other public job postings 26. Employers in the sample include Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, Axle, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc., PBC, True Environmental, abrf and wasserman. A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 36. Updated quarterly. Download the data: biologist-resume-skills.csv (CC BY 4.0). Browse skills for other roles.