Toxicologist Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the toxicologist job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they typically perform.

It also highlights the major requirements, including skills, knowledge, and abilities you will be expected to meet to be hired for the toxicologist role.

What Does A Toxicologist Do?

A toxicologist is a scientific detective that helps track toxic substances and their effect in living cells and the environment.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, toxicologists are scientists whose work is to find out if chemicals and other substances are harmful or toxic to humans and other living organisms, and to the environment.

The core functions in a toxicologist job description include assessment of risk and potential hazard associated with the use of chemical substance.

They carry out laboratory test, analyze data, and interpret results to ascertain the toxicity levels of different compounds.

The findings and reports from toxicologists help develop safety standards, regulation compliance procedures and risk mitigation strategies.

Additional duties may include contributing to public health policies. They help in developing new testing methods and also embark on epidemiological studies.

They also present legal testimonies in legal proceedings if the need arises.

Toxicologists play an important role in the world. They make sure there’s safety in consumer products, industrial processes and environment.

They help uphold a tight safety standard in countries with a robust regulatory guideline.

Their job is significant as they help make sure that the food, medicines, and environment is safe for everyone.

A toxicologist reports to a senior toxicologist, laboratory manager or regulatory affairs director, it all depends on the type of organization they work in.

You can find a toxicologist in various work setting, from pharmaceuticals to government agencies, as well as from academic institutions to law enforcement agencies.

To qualify to become a toxicologist, you need a Bachelor’s degree in Toxicology, Biology, and Chemistry or a related field.

But, most employers want a candidate with a Master’s or PhD in Toxicology or a related field.

You may need certifications for some positions. The American Board of Toxicology is one such organization that award certificates.

Employers seek applicants with solid analytical and problem-solving aptitude, strong communication abilities, and in depth familiarity of relevant regulations and guidelines.

Furthermore, keen attention to details, critical thinking and interpersonal skills are truly valuable competencies.

Toxicologists have to work in compliance with a set of regulations and guidelines put in place by several national and international bodies like the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Toxicologist Job Description Example/ Sample/Template

The toxicologist job description includes the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Design and carry out laboratory experiments to evaluate the chemical substances, drugs or other compounds
• Analyze and make sense of data from toxicological studies, whether animal or human studies
• Assess the health and environmental risk linked to exposure to toxic substances
• Work cooperatively with scientists, researchers, and regulatory agencies to ensure adherence to safety standards and regulations
• Provide expert testimony and consultation in legal proceedings associated with toxic exposure or product liability cases
• Evaluate incidents involving toxic substances and then reporting on degree of contamination or exposure
• Perform risk assessment and come up with mitigation strategies to reduce impact of toxic substances
• Contribute to public health policies associated with toxic substance exposure
• Take part in developing and reviewing product safety labels and warning statements
• Help with developing new testing methods and techniques for better toxicological results in terms of accuracy and efficiency
• Develop and execute testing protocols and methodologies to make results are accurate and reliable
• Prepare extensive reports and technical documentation showing toxicological finding and recommendations
• Offer training and education to healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the public on the potential health effects of toxic exposures
• Design and execute quality control course of action to ensure the integrity and reliability of toxicological data
• Inquire into adverse event reports associated with chemical or pharmaceutical products and then carry out analysis
• Help in the planning and conduct of post-market surveillance studies to investigate the real-world safety of drugs and other chemicals
• Work in sync with multidisciplinary teams, ranging from clinicians, epidemiologists, to environmental scientists, to assess human health impacts of toxic exposures
• Stay up-to-date on the latest scientific literature and regulatory guidelines that covers the scope of toxicology and risk assessment
• Establish and confirm new analytical methods for the detection and quantification of chemical contaminants in several matrices
• Take part in the creation of safety data sheets and other hazard communication materials for industrial and consumer products
• Assist in the setup of occupational exposure limits and other workplace safety standards for hazardous substances
• Make use of advanced statistical and computational techniques to model dose-response relationships and characterize the uncertainty in toxicological risk assessments
• Take part in the development and authentication of high-throughput screening approaches to efficiently ascertain the toxicological potential of large chemical libraries.

Toxicologist Job Description for Resume

If you are making a new resume or CV as someone who has worked before as a toxicologist, or are currently working in that position, then you can make a compelling Professional Experience section for your resume by applying the sample toxicologist job description provided above.

You can express the duties and responsibilities you have performed or are presently carrying out as a toxicologist in your resume’s Professional Experience by utilizing the ones provided in the toxicologist job description example above.

This will show that you have been successful performing the duties and responsibilities of a toxicologist, which can greatly enhance your chances of been called up for an interview and hired, especially if the new job that you are seeking requires someone with some toxicologist work experience.

Toxicologist Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

If you are seeking the toxicologist job, then here are important skills, abilities, and knowledge you might be required to meet to be hired:

• A solid background in the sciences like biology, chemistry, pharmacology or any related field
• Strong analytical and problem-solving aptitude useful in data interpretation and conclusion
• Excellent quantitative and statistical analysis abilities for evaluation and interpretation of toxicological data
• Expertise in laboratory techniques and instrumentation related to toxicological analyses
• Able to use special software for toxicological data analysis and management
• Adept in communication, both written and verbal in conveying complex scientific data
• Critical thinking and deductive reasoning abilities to help spot patterns, track evidence and make evidence-based decisions
• Familiarity with relevant regulations, standards and guidelines associated with chemical safety and toxicology
• Consistent learning and adaptability to stay updated with the latest advancements in the field of toxicology
• Can work well across different teams and diverse stakeholders.

Toxicologist Employment

The number of toxicologists in employment in the United States is currently around 255. This figure is given from a survey conducted by Zippia.

The data also shows that the toxicology field is dominated by men who are about 130, while employed women toxicologists are around 122.

By the industry they work, most toxicologists work in the health care and manufacturing industries, with 56 and 38 employments respectively.

Toxicologist Salary

Zippia reports that the average salary for a toxicologist in the United States is $75,601 annually, with salaries typically ranging between $46,000 and $124,000 per year.

The top 5 highest paying states for toxicologists are as follows:

• New Jersey, $108,974
• Connecticut, $90,844
• Indiana, $88,751
• Maine, $83,096
• Maryland, $81,806.

Industries that pay the highest salaries to toxicologists include manufacturing ($94,650) and pharmaceutical ($86,576).

Toxicologist Resources

Here are valuable resources you can access to develop and make a successful Toxicologist career:

Professional Organizations:

Books:

Conclusion

Toxicologists play a crucial role in our world. They help keep us safe in many ways from several toxic substances that lurk in unexpected places.

If you are aspiring for the toxicologist position, then this article presents all you need to know to make that career path decision.

It covered educational requirements, salary information and the type of competence employers want.

As an employer, you can use this information in crafting a suitable job description for the toxicologist position that can get you desirable candidates that add capability to the team.