What Is a Toxicologist? A Career Guide

A toxicologist is responsible for investigating the adverse effects of chemicals on the health of humans, animals, and the environment. This may include new medicines, illegal drugs, materials, natural substances, and radiation. Toxicologists work in various areas, for many different types of employers, after pursuing education to a high level. Job opportunities and progression options are excellent for those who specialize in the right area.

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What does a toxicologist do?

A toxicologist works in the laboratory and the field as part of a team studying the risks associated with substances and conducting risk assessments on exposure scenarios to decide the best resources to keep the public safe. Part of the role is assessing the effects on future technology and developments relating to the findings, such as drug treatments, building materials, and consumer products. 

Areas of toxicology

The toxicology field is wide-reaching. You can work in various areas of toxicology, from forensics to medicine. Within these disciplines, you can specialize further. Specializations include:

• Clinical toxicology: Providing toxicological diagnosis for poisoned patients

• Regulatory toxicology: Assessing health hazards

• Occupational toxicology: Investigating health risks of chemicals in the workplace

• Forensic toxicology: Providing information to the legal system on illegal drugs and chemicals

• Medical/pharmaceutical toxicology: Investigating the unwanted effects of drug treatments

• Environmental toxicology: Investigating the impact of chemicals on the environment

• Aquatic toxicology: Investigating the effects of chemicals on marine organisms

• Terrestrial toxicologist: Focusing on the effect on organisms following exposure to artificial or natural chemicals in soil

• Neurotoxicologist: Studying the effects of toxic systems on the nervous system

What are the primary duties and responsibilities of a toxicologist?

The primary duties and responsibilities vary depending on the specialty area, but a toxicologist typically carries out a wide range of tasks. Researching substances, conducting experiments, and producing reports are everyday tasks for most toxicologists. Other common duties and responsibilities you can expect to perform as a toxicologist include:

• Researching and identifying any substances harmful to humans, animals, or the environment

• Participating in controlled experiments to evaluate the safety of chemicals and risk assessment

• Devising regulations for the uses of certain substances and providing advice on their handling

• Complying with regulatory bodies to ensure safe practices within local, national, and international guidelines

• Producing reports, presenting findings, and advising on effective treatment for organisms or environments affected by adverse chemicals

• Providing rigorous quality control and data management

Medical toxicologists' role would include diagnosing poisoning and advising on effective treatment. This may consist of people who have come in contact with certain chemicals or ingested them.

Forensic toxicologists might have to present findings and evidence in court if chemicals were used illegally.

What qualifications are required to become a toxicologist?

To work as a toxicologist, you need at least a bachelor's degree in toxicology or a related field, such as chemistry, biomedical sciences, forensics, or environmental studies.

However, many opportunities require a higher qualification and a bachelor’s degree. While a bachelor's degree may help you secure a job as a laboratory assistant or a laboratory technician in toxicology, a more senior position will likely require a master's degree or even a PhD. 

According to the 2020 Job Market Survey data by the Society of Toxicology, which included respondents across the world, many employed toxicologists have doctoral-level education [1]. Employment in academia or research usually requires a doctoral-level education.

Experience is essential, so working in a laboratory and ensuring your degree covers this aspect is critical. You can look into certifications to enhance your chances of earning a position. While it isn’t essential to have a certificate, the more knowledge and experience you have in the field, the better your chances. This may also be useful if you want to specialize in a particular area. These may include working towards becoming a Chartered Biologist or gaining certification from the College of Applied Biology or a professional association such as the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists. 

Also, consider taking additional professional development courses or training to keep yourself current and up to date with discoveries in the field.

What skills do I need to become a toxicologist?

In addition to some specific technical skills that come with the territory, toxicologists should possess some critical workplace skills, including excellent communication and data analysis skills and attention to detail. 

Attention to detail

It’s essential to pay close attention to detail when dealing with substances that could be dangerous to health. You must be patient, efficient, and able to gather results under pressure without compromising quality.

A logical mind

You need to be logical with an independent mind when conducting research. You must be open to all possibilities but logical in approach. 

Teamwork

Most toxicologists work in a team to conduct research and analyze findings. This means you need excellent teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate with others. You may work with people and bodies outside your team on projects impacting public health. 

Communication

Being able to communicate well verbally and in writing is essential. Much of a toxicologist's work translates complex information into a way the public can understand. This could be through writing reports or presenting findings to your team, the public, or relevant public bodies. 

Organization

Being organized is critical when working in a laboratory setting to ensure everyone follows health and safety procedures. Labels should be clear, and everyone in the lab needs to know what they should be doing, especially as you are likely to work with hazardous chemicals. 

Time management

Working as a toxicologist can be time-dependent. For example, when working on a public health problem that needs answers quickly to ensure the health and safety of others. Working to deadlines and time frames is part of the role. 

Data analysis

As a toxicologist, your role includes conducting research and analyzing the data. Therefore, toxicologists are skilled in collecting and translating data into something meaningful, writing reports, and presenting findings.

Where can I work once I’m qualified as a toxicologist?

The chemical, pharmaceutical, and consumer product industries are the biggest toxicologist employers. Once qualified, you can work in several areas.

Academia is the next biggest toxicologist employer, followed by the government, consulting firms, and research foundations. Those working in academic institutions tend to be in schools of medicine or public health or placed in large hospitals. They may also teach in smaller colleges as part of some scientific and engineering courses.

Government roles tend to be in forensics, occupational health, or concerned with environmental factors, while research foundations and consulting firms will likely cover various areas.

What do toxicologists earn?

According to Canada’s Job Bank, hourly wages for toxicologists range from $34.22 to $61.23 CAD [2]. Assuming a 40-hour work week, this amounts to an annual salary range of $71,178 to $127,358 CAD.

Career progression

Toxicology will be a growing and possibly competitive field. Canada’s Job Bank estimates that 11,500 jobs will open in toxicology from 2022 to 2031, with 9,600 new job seekers arriving to fill those jobs [3]. As of 2023, the Canadian government reported that 35,000 toxicology professionals were working in the country [3]. Once you have started work as a toxicologist, you can specialize in a niche area or move into related fields, such as environmental pollution or food safety.  

To move into more senior positions, experience and a PhD will give you an advantage. If you already have a doctoral degree in a related field, you can advance your career by working as a postdoctoral fellow in a toxicology laboratory. Doing so boosts experience in project management, grant writing, and team management. You can find government-funded and industry-based postdoctoral training programs in toxicology. Toxicologists working in academia can become professors, heads of departments, or deans.

Get started in toxicology

A career as a toxicologist begins with earning a science-related bachelor's degree. If you’re interested in learning more about a toxicology career and are unsure where to start, check out courses, certificates, and world-class institutions on Coursera.

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