Home Microbiologist Resume template
Microbiologist resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what microbiologists actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most microbiologists should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Microbiologist with hands-on laboratory experience identifying and characterising bacteria, viruses and fungi across clinical, food safety or environmental settings. Skilled in culture-based and molecular identification methods, antibiotic sensitivity testing and technical report writing for clinicians, regulators or research teams. Comfortable working to strict laboratory safety and quality standards in a NATA-accredited environment.
Key skills
- Microbial culturing and identification
- Antibiotic sensitivity testing
- Molecular methods (PCR)
- Microscopy (optical and electron)
- Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)
- Spectrophotometry
- Regulatory compliance and quality assurance
- Technical report writing
- Field sampling and specimen handling
Experience: example bullet points
- Cultured and identified microbial isolates from clinical or environmental specimens using selective media, Gram staining and biochemical testing, maintaining sample turnaround within laboratory service targets
- Performed antibiotic sensitivity testing on bacterial isolates to support treatment decisions, flagging resistant strains for clinician follow-up
- Operated PCR and spectrophotometry equipment to confirm pathogen identification, cross-checking results against manual microscopy findings for accuracy
- Prepared technical reports summarising culture results, resistance patterns and testing methodology for pathologists, food safety auditors or research supervisors
- Maintained aseptic technique and sterilisation protocols across the laboratory, contributing to a reduction in contaminated sample re-runs
- Logged and tracked specimens through LIMS, keeping chain-of-custody and result records audit-ready for NATA assessment
Education
Bachelor degree in microbiology, biomedical science or a related science discipline is the standard entry pathway (held by around half of practitioners), with many progressing to honours or a postgraduate qualification for clinical, research or senior diagnostic roles; clinical positions typically require registration or accreditation aligned with RCPA or NATA/AS ISO 15189 standards.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- NATA accreditation
- AS ISO 15189
- RCPA
- antimicrobial resistance testing
- PC2 laboratory
- aseptic technique
- Gram staining
- PCR
- LIMS
- pathology reporting
- food safety standards (FSANZ)
- quality assurance
- specimen handling
- biosafety
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.