Editing Microbiologist (section)

{{Short description|Person who investigates the characteristics of microscopic organisms}}
{{For|the magazine|Microbiologist (magazine)}}
{{Infobox occupation
| name               = Microbiologist

| image              = [[Image:USDA ARS ERRC.jpg|200px|]]
| caption            = Microbiologists examining cultures on a [[Petri dish]]
| official_names     = 
| type               = 
| activity_sector    = [[Biotechnology]], [[Government]], [[Research]], [[Natural environment|Environmental]], [[Academia]] 
| competencies       = 
| formation          = 
| employment_field   =
| related_occupation = [[Scientist]], [[Educator]]
}}

A '''microbiologist''' (from [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] {{lang|grc|μῑκρος}}) is a [[scientist]] who studies [[microscopic]] life forms and processes. This includes study of the growth, interactions and characteristics of [[Microorganism|microscopic organisms]] such as [[bacteria]], [[algae]], [[fungi]], and some types of parasites and their vectors.<ref name=BLSwhat>{{cite web|title=What Microbiologists Do |publisher=Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labaor |website=Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition |url=https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/microbiologists.htm#tab-2 |access-date=11 October 2017}}</ref> Most microbiologists work in offices and/or research facilities, both in private [[biotechnology]] companies and in [[academia]]. Most microbiologists specialize in a given topic within [[microbiology]] such as [[bacteriology]], [[parasitology]], [[virology]], or [[immunology]].