A professional who studies growth, structure, development, and general characteristics of bacteria and other micro-organisms. Responsibilities include:

• Isolates and makes cultures of significant bacteria or other micro-organisms in prescribed or standard inhibitory media, controlling factors, such as moisture, aeration, temperature, and nutrition.
• Identifies micro-organisms by microscopic examination of physiological, morphological, and cultural characteristics.
• Observes action of micro-organisms upon living tissues of plants, higher animals, and other micro-organisms and on dead organic matter.
• Makes chemical analyses of substances, such as acids, alcohols, and enzymes, produced by bacteria and other micro-organisms on organic matter.
• May specialize in study of viruses and rickettsiae and be designated Virologist.
• May specialize in particular material or product field and be designated Bacteriologist, Dairy; Bacteriologist, Fishery; Bacteriologist, Food; Bacteriologist, Industrial; Bacteriologist, Medical; Bacteriologist, Pharmaceutical; or Bacteriologist, Soil.